Jaffna Court directs SLA to safeguard crime evidence

[TamilNet, Saturday, 30 June 2007, 21:33 GMT]
Jaffna District magistrate T. Vignarajah directed the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) Jaffna Commander Maj. Gen. G. A. Chandrasiri to take care in safeguarding the evidences found at the site of killings in the Jaffna peninsula, when Jaffna police notified the magistrate that evidence material related to the killings of two fuel station employees gunned down by unidentified armed men at Temple road Friday evening, were missing, legal sources in Jaffna said.
Full story >>

Muslim businessman reported missing

[TamilNet, Saturday, 30 June 2007, 18:57 GMT]
A Muslim trader from Kandy, visiting Colombo for purchases of goods for resale, has gone missing since Friday, the victim's relatives reported to the Colombo-based rights group, Civilian Monitoring Committee, sources in Colombo said. Relatves have also lodged complaints with Peradeniya and Pettah police
Full story >>

4 bodies recovered in Maavilaaru

[TamilNet, Saturday, 30 June 2007, 18:56 GMT]
Four bodies were recovered Saturday afternoon in Maavilaa'ru jungle area in Trincomalee. The bodies were recovered on information provided by local residents and the bodies have not yet been identified, Kanthalaay police said.
Full story >>

Two shot dead in Jaffna, civilian killings escalate

[TamilNet, Saturday, 30 June 2007, 18:13 GMT]
Unidentified gunmen shot dead two civilians Saturday in Jaffna peninsula in two separate shootings, one at Mudakkaadu junction in Nelliyadi in Vadamaraadchi, and the other at Thirunelveali Kalladdi junction, sources in Jaffna said. The killings bring the total number of killed in Jaffna district in the last 72 hours to five.
Full story >>

SLA trooper found dead inside Point Pedro camp

[TamilNet, Saturday, 30 June 2007, 17:31 GMT]
A Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldier was found with gunshot injuries within his camp located at Polika'ndi coastal village in Vadamaraadchi north Friday night, SLA sources in Point Pedro said. The Officer-in-charge of the camp said in his statement to Point Pedro police that the trooper was distraught over not being granted leave, and had shot himself dead.
Full story >>

SLA attacks Oamanthai checkpoint

[TamilNet, Saturday, 30 June 2007, 16:10 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers launched artillery, multi-barrel rocket launcher (MBRL) and motor attacks targeting the Pu'liyangku'lam-Oamanthai checkpoint, the entry point to the LTTE administered Vanni region, between 12:15 p.m. and 1:15 p.m. Friday, sources in Vanni said. The attacks disrupted passenger traffic to and from Liberation Tigers controlled area through the checkpoint, according to civilians affected by the attack.
Full story >>

Moothoor farmers file FR petitions in Supreme Court against HSZ declaration

[TamilNet, Saturday, 30 June 2007, 07:18 GMT]
Four Moothoor farmers and Dr.Pakkiyasothy Saravanamuthu, Director of the Centre for Policy Alternatives (CPA), a Colombo-based think-tank, Friday filed fundamental rights petitions in the Supreme Court seeking the court to order the Sri Lanka Government's declaration of traditional paddy lands in Moothoor and Champoor as high security zones null and void, legal sources in Colombo said.
Full story >>

2 men shot dead in HSZ in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Saturday, 30 June 2007, 04:10 GMT]
Unidentified gunmen on two motor cycles, following two men riding their motor cycles, shot them dead Friday around 4:30 p.m., in front of Tamils Rehabilitation Organization (TRO) former office close to UNDP, UNHCR, UNICEF, ICRC offices in Temple Road in the heart of Sri Lanka Army (SLA) High Security Zone (HSZ) in Jaffna, sources in Jaffna said. SLA troopers are present 24 hours guarding several International Organization offices.
Full story >>

16-year-old Tamil shot dead in Ea'raavoor

[TamilNet, Friday, 29 June 2007, 14:58 GMT]
Unidentified gunmen shot and killed a 16-year-old Tamil boy Thursday night at Siththaa'ndi in Ea'ravoor. The victim, a painter, went out to attend the festival at Maariamman temple, his father told Ea'ravoor Police.
Full story >>

Hindu temple president, priest file FR petition

[TamilNet, Friday, 29 June 2007, 13:46 GMT]
Mr.N.Jeganathan, President of Vee'lana'i Sri Muthumaariamman Koayil committee and Mr S.Manoharajan Iyer, priest of the Koayil Thursday filed a fundamental right violation petition in the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka, seeking the court to declare that their arrest and detention were illegal and to order their release with appropriate compensation, legal sources said.
Full story >>

SLA trooper, 4 civilians injured in Claymore attack in Vavuniya

[TamilNet, Friday, 29 June 2007, 11:11 GMT]
Unidentified men triggered a Claymore device Friday morning targeting a Sri Lanka Transport Board bus in Cheddikku'lam area, injuring a Sri Lanka Army (SLA) trooper and four civilians, according to Cheddiku'lam police. The Police claimed Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) members were responsible for the attack.
Full story >>

Two civilians wounded in SLA retaliation for Claymore attack in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Friday, 29 June 2007, 10:02 GMT]
A 53-year-old man and a 47-year-old were seriously wounded in indiscriminate gunfire by the Sri Lanka Army soldiers in Maasiyappiddi, 11 km northwest of Jaffna city, after a Claymore attack in which two soldiers were wounded at 7:40 a.m. Friday.
Full story >>

Decomposed body found on Kaarainakar beach

[TamilNet, Friday, 29 June 2007, 09:45 GMT]
Kayts police recovered a body of a male in a highly decomposed state Thursday at Kaarainakar beach on information given by public, sources in Jaffna said.
Full story >>

430 killed in 5 months, 2000 cases of abductions in Sri Lanka

[TamilNet, Friday, 29 June 2007, 07:15 GMT]
Justice Mahanama Tilakeratne, head of the Special Commision on Disappearances, speaking to the media at BMICH Colombo Thursday, said that between September 2006 and February 2007, more than 430 Sri Lankans, mostly Tamils were killed, and 886 cases of abduction or disappearance remain unresolved, sources in Colombo said. During the same five month period, a total of 2,020 people were either abducted or disappeared. 1,134 were later found alive and reunited with their families, Mr. Tilakeratne said.
Full story >>

Two charged in UK for supporting LTTE

[TamilNet, Friday, 29 June 2007, 06:37 GMT]
Two Tamils in Britain were charged Wednesday under the Terrorism Act 2000 with providing support to the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) which is proscribed in UK. Arunachalam Chrishanthakumar, (also known as 'AC Shanthan'), 50, and Goldan Lambert, 29 appeared at City of Westminster Magistrates Court Thursday.
Full story >>

Trinco youth reported missing from Kurunagala hospital

[TamilNet, Thursday, 28 June 2007, 21:48 GMT]
A twenty-four year-old Tamil youth transferred from Trincomalee general hospital to Kurunagala general hospital has been reported missing from the Kurunagala hospital after admission, according to a complaint lodged with the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka by his relatives.
Full story >>

3 Tamil civilians arrested in Wellawatte

[TamilNet, Thursday, 28 June 2007, 20:04 GMT]
Three Tamil civilians were arrested Thursday morning at Wellawatte, Colombo in a cordon and search operation conducted by the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) and police. The arrested are currently being detained in the Wellawatte police station and being interrogated by the Terrorist Intelligence Unit (TIU).
Full story >>

TNA councilor assassinated in Ampaa'rai

[TamilNet, Thursday, 28 June 2007, 19:53 GMT]
Thillainathan Uthayakumar, the chairman of Tamil National Alliance (TNA) Piratheasa Chapai (Pradeshya Sabah) of Thirukkoayil in Ampaa'rai district was assassinated by armed men outside his residence at Vinaayakapuram in Akkaraippattu, Thursday at 8:50 p.m.
Full story >>

SLAF personnel assault Tamil journalist in Colombo

[TamilNet, Thursday, 28 June 2007, 19:42 GMT]
A Tamil staff journalist working for Thinakkural daily was assaulted by a group of airmen after being taken into a Buddhist temple in the High Security Zone in Fort in Colombo around 2:30 p.m., Thursday. He was on his way to cover an event at the nearby Presidential Secretariat.
Full story >>

Pavement vendor shot dead in Jaffna town

[TamilNet, Thursday, 28 June 2007, 16:23 GMT]
Unidentified men armed with pistols shot dead a pavement fancy-goods seller Thursday around 3:30 p.m., in front of Poobalasingham Book Shop located at the entrance of Jaffna Central Bus Terminus next to Jaffna Teaching Hospital, in the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) High Security Zone, sources in Jaffna said. The killers left the site of crime, located close proximit to several SLA sentry points, without showing any great haste, raising suspicion of SLA complicity in the killing, civil society sources in Jaffna said.
Full story >>

Sri Lanka Air Force bombs Vanni

[TamilNet, Thursday, 28 June 2007, 16:16 GMT]
Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) bombers bombed Nedungkea'ni twice Thursday at 6:15 a.m. and around 3:00 p.m., Tamileelam Police officials in Kilinochchi said.
Full story >>

Wickremasinghe- Samaraweera to forge new alliance

[TamilNet, Thursday, 28 June 2007, 14:17 GMT]
Ranil Wickremasinghe, leader of the main opposition United National Party (UNP) and Mangala Samaraweera, leader of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP-Peoples Wing) Thursday held discussions at the official residence of the opposition leader in an attempt to forge a new political alliance, political sources in Colombo said. A committee comprising members of the UNP and SLFP (Peoples Wing) was formed to work out a political programme.
Full story >>

SL Govt attempts to reintroduce “Criminal Defamation Law” – FMM

[TamilNet, Thursday, 28 June 2007, 12:15 GMT]
Free Media Movement, a Colombo-based media rights watchdog, accused the Sri Lanka Government of attempting to bring back the Criminal Defamation Law which had been “used extensively in the past in order to silence critical reportage and to persecute editors and journalists.” The FMM in a press release Wednesday said that it “has credible evidence that on behalf of the president an emergency cabinet paper was submitted to the cabinet meeting held on 27th June 2007 in this regard. It was put on hold as three ministers opposed the reintroduction of the criminal defamation.”
Full story >>

HRC Jaffna officials receive death threats

[TamilNet, Thursday, 28 June 2007, 09:20 GMT]
Members of the Sri Lanka Armed Forces and unidentified armed persons continue to intimidate and threaten with death officials of Human Rights Commission (HRC) Jaffna, legal circles in Jaffna said. Angered by the HRC's exposing of human rights violations brought to notice by the public and relatives of the victims, the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) and SLA-backed paramilitaries have resorted to making threatening calls to HRC officials.
Full story >>

2 SLA soldiers killed in Claymore ambush in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Thursday, 28 June 2007, 06:38 GMT]
Unidentified attackers triggered a Claymore mine Thursday morning around 9:30 in Naavaanthu'rai, kiilling two Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers riding on bicycles along Naavaanthu'rai-Kaakkaitheevu road in the outskirts of Jaffna city. The injured were rushed to Palaali military hospital while the SLA is engaged in a cordon and search operation around the site of the ambush.
Full story >>

300 civilians arrested in Welikada

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 27 June 2007, 19:30 GMT]
About three hundred civilians were taken into custody in a cordon and search operation conducted by the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) and Sri Lanka Police from midnight Tuesday till the dawn of Wednesday in Welikada division in Colombo district. They are currently being detained in police station and are being interrogated.
Full story >>

Court fixes inquiry into Mirusuvil massacre case

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 27 June 2007, 17:12 GMT]
The Colombo High Court Monday fixed the Trial-at-Bar inquiry into the Mirusuvil massacre case commencing from October 29. The sitting will be conducted daily till the completion of the inquiry, said Judge Upali Abeyaratne, Chairman of the three-member bench. The other two judges are Deepali Wijesundara and Sunil Rajapakse, legal sources said.
Full story >>

SLN shoots dead youth in Mannaar

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 27 June 2007, 14:27 GMT]
The Sri Lanka Navy (SLA) shot dead a youth during a cordon and search operation conducted at Ward No: 8 of Pea'saalai in Mannaar division Tuesday morning. Mannaar Additional Magistrate Mr.T.J.Pirapaharan in the afternoon visited the site and viewed the body, sources said.
Full story >>

SLA restricts fuel transport to Mannaar

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 27 June 2007, 13:31 GMT]
Acute fuel shortage prevails in Mannaar district due to the restriction imposed by the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) on the quantity of petrol, diesel and kerosene being transported from petroleum corporation terminal located in Anuradhapura in the north central province, civil sources in Mannaar said.
Full story >>

Tigers raid SLA post in Mannaar border

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 27 June 2007, 02:19 GMT]
A Sri Lanka Army Forward Defence post located between the SLA controlled Tha'l'laadi and the Liberation Tigers of Tamileelam (LTTE) controlled territory in Mannaar was attacked by the Tigers Wednesday early morning around 2:30, Tiger officials told media in Ki'linochchi. Five SLA troopers were killed in the pre-dawn attack, they claimed and said the FDL post, located 500 meters away from the Tha'l'laadi SLA base, was destroyed in the attack. The Tigers seized a Light machine gun, two automatic rifles and a communication equipment in the pre-dawn raid.
Full story >>

Defence Ministry blocks ICRC attempts to transfer LTTE bodies

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 26 June 2007, 19:48 GMT]
The efforts of Jaffna International Committee of Red Cross (ICRC) to hand over the bodies of the two Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) combatants recovered at Katkoava'lam area in Point Pedro Friday and another four bodies recovered Thursday following the recent sea battle at Kaangkeasanthu'rai, to the LTTE, failed due to Sri Lanka Defence Ministry refusal to accommodate ICRC's proposal. The two bodies, recovered at Katkoava'lam and kept at Manthikai hospital unidentified, were interred Tuesday, on Point Pedro magistrate's orders, on State expense.
Full story >>

Youth feared abducted in Kokkuvil

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 26 June 2007, 19:47 GMT]
A youth from Kokkuvil area in Jaffna is reported missing and feared abducted since Friday after he had left home in the morning to visit his relatives, according to complaint made by his family members to Human Rights Commission (HRC) Jaffna office.
Full story >>

Plaintiffs concerned of new JSC appointment to Kayts courts

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 26 June 2007, 19:44 GMT]
The Sri Lanka Judicial Service Commission (JSC) appointment of an additional magistrate to Kayts Courts, to handle cases related to 2006 May 1 Allaipiddy massacres where 13 civilians were massacred in a single night, raised concern among the victims' relatives, sources in Kayts said. A public identification parade ordered by Kayts magistrate Mr. Jayaraman Trotsky had not materialised due to the non-cooperation Allaipiddy Sri Lanka Navy (SLN), who were accused to complict in the crime by the related family members.
Full story >>

4 Jaffna day-labourers reported missing

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 26 June 2007, 08:29 GMT]
Four men, all daily wage earners, have been reported missing from Meesaalai, Kodikaamam and I’nuvil areas during the last ten days, officials at the Human Rights Commission (HRC) in Jaffna said citing complaints made by the relatives.
Full story >>

Two Sinhala fishermen drown in Ampaa'rai

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 26 June 2007, 07:56 GMT]
Two young fishermen who went to fish in an irrigation tank in Paa'nama in Poththuvil police division in Ampaa'rai district, drowned when the boat they traveled capsized around 4:00 p.m. Sunday. People who witnessed the accident, alerted local divers, but the divers were unable to save the fishermen, sources in Ampaa'rai said.
Full story >>

Muslim man shot dead in Oaddamaavadi

[TamilNet, Monday, 25 June 2007, 20:59 GMT]
An unidentified armed person on motorbike following a Muslim civilian riding his motorbike from Oaddamaavadi area shot him dead Sunday around 7:45 p.m., at Oaddamaavadi in Vaazhaichcheanai police division in Batticaloa district, the police said.
Full story >>

SLA conducts search operation in Mannaar

[TamilNet, Monday, 25 June 2007, 17:10 GMT]
The Sri Lanka Army (SLA) and police conducted a combined cordon and search operation from Sunday night till Monday morning around 10 a.m. in villages Pa'l'limunai, Uppukku'lam, Muslim Road in Mannaar division. Every house was searched during the operation.
Full story >>

Only CFA can save Sri Lanka - Thamilchelvan

[TamilNet, Monday, 25 June 2007, 16:14 GMT]
S.P Thamilchelvan, head of the Political Division of the LTTE, in an interview with TamilNet on Monday said that to bring peace and pave the way for talks, the international community should come forward to "support the struggle for rights of the Tamil people and force the Sri Lankan Government to implement the ceasefire agreement in full.” Characterizing the "efforts” to bring a united position among the southern parties as the "same old drama," that has gone on throughout the Tamil people’s struggle for their rights, he said only the CFA can save the island from the disaster.
Full story >>

Norwegian Tamils urge Co-Chairs to pressure Colombo

[TamilNet, Monday, 25 June 2007, 11:43 GMT]
Around 200 Norwegian Tamils of Norwegian Tamils Federation (NTF) gathered in front of Norway Foreign Ministry in Oslo Monday between 10:00 to 11:00 a.m., urging Norway to advice the representatives of the Co-chair countries, scheduled to meet in Oslo Tuesday, to pressure the Sri Lanka Government (GoSL) to stop human rights violations committed against the Tamils in Sri Lanka, Oslo sources said. Jon Hanssen Bauer, the Norwegian Special Envoy to Sri Lanka Peace Process, accompanied by Thomas Stangeland, Advisor, Norway Foreign Ministry, received the memorandum submitted by Ms. Sumathi Wijiyaraj, representative of Tamil Women Organization.
Full story >>

SLN permits fishing in restricted areas in Vadamaraadchi

[TamilNet, Monday, 25 June 2007, 09:21 GMT]
Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) announced Sunday the fishing ban imposed after the battle with sea Tigers on June 19 was being lifted partially allowing fishing within restricted areas in the region. In Vadamaraadchi North, fishing is being permitted from Valveddiththu'rai up to Point Pedro Munai, Katkoava'lam, and in Vadamaraadchi East fishing is being allowed in Ma'nalkaadu, Kudaththanai and Ampan, according to fisheries union officials.
Full story >>

SLA conducts search operation in Kurunakar for second day

[TamilNet, Monday, 25 June 2007, 08:51 GMT]
Thousands of Sri Lanka Army (SLA) troopers conducted a large scale cordon and search operation in a specific areas of Kurunakar in Jaffna Municipality Sunday early morning .This was the third such operation in the area in the last three days, civil society sources in Jaffna said.
Full story >>

Jaffna SLTB, Postal departments agitate for information on abducted employees

[TamilNet, Monday, 25 June 2007, 07:31 GMT]
The officials of Northern region Sri Lanka Transport board (SLTB) and postal department have appealed to the police and Jaffna office of Sri Lanka Human Rights Commission (SLHRC) to provide information regarding the bus conductor and the postal employee who have been missing in Jaffna islets near Madaththadi , Pungkudutheevu since Thursday June 07, civil sources in Jaffna said.
Full story >>

Hindu organizations appeal to SLA to relax curfew hours in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Monday, 25 June 2007, 06:43 GMT]
Following the announcement by Sri Lanka Army (SLA) in Palaali High Command on Friday extending the curfew hours in North by two more hours from 7:00 p.m. till 5:00 a.m., Hindu religious organizations have appealed to SLA officials to relax the curfew hours to enable devotees to attend the summer religious festivals soon to be held in the peninsula, sources in Jaffna said.
Full story >>

Nearly 80 civilians arrested in southern cities

[TamilNet, Sunday, 24 June 2007, 16:38 GMT]
Close to eighty civilians, majority of them Tamil, were arrested in cordon and search operations conducted by the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) and police from Saturday night till Sunday morning Colombo suburb of Wellawatte and Sri Lanka's southern cities of Galle, Matara, Wellampitya, and Kandy, civil society sources in Colombo said.
Full story >>

Journalists unsafe, Press afflicted by self-censorship - Media Group

[TamilNet, Sunday, 24 June 2007, 14:56 GMT]
An international media group on a mission to Sri Lanka to discuss issues related to media freedom said after the 17 June to 23rd June visit that "pressures on the media have multiplied over the recent months with increasing fears for the safety of journalists, especially those operating in the embattled North and East. In Jaffna peninsula, dozens of journalists have been forced to stop working for fear of their safety."
Full story >>

Heavy rain in Plantation districts kills one, injures 7

[TamilNet, Sunday, 24 June 2007, 11:36 GMT]
Torrential rain accompanied by heavy winds in the areas in hill country for the last five days has claimed the life of a woman and injured seven students, sources in Bandarawela said. The woman killed was identified as Premawathy, mother of two children, police said.
Full story >>

Gotabhaya gave orders to evict Tamils - paper

[TamilNet, Sunday, 24 June 2007, 04:00 GMT]
Minutes of a Security Coordinating Conference held at the Sri Lanka's Ministry of Defence on 31 May, attended by Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, proved "conclusively that the order for the eviction of Tamil civilians from the city were given directly by Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa...The minutes also make the startling revelation that the Defence Secretary ordered for some of the evicted persons to be placed in IDP centres manned in the north and east," said Sunday Leader, a Colombo-based weekly in the weekend edition.
Full story >>

Traders blame GoSL for high prices for goods in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Sunday, 24 June 2007, 03:21 GMT]
Jaffna Peninsula Traders Society blamed the Sri Lanka Government for the artificially high price for essential goods created by measures adopted by the office of the Commissioner of Essential Services (CES) in shipping goods to Jaffna peninsula, sources close to Traders Union said. CES’s insistence on shipping essential goods by three cargo vessels precluded using less expensive alternatives by the Jaffna Government Agent, Co-operative Societies and private enterprises, has resulted in soaring prices, sources added.
Full story >>

SLA conducts large scale search operation in Kurunakar

[TamilNet, Sunday, 24 June 2007, 02:40 GMT]
Thousands of Sri Lanka Army (SLA) troopers were involved in a large scale cordon and search operation in Kurunakar in Jaffna Municipality and in the adjoining coastal areas Saturday early morning, sources in Jaffna said. This was the second such operation in the last two days.
Full story >>

Two bodies recovered in Nilaave'li

[TamilNet, Saturday, 23 June 2007, 18:36 GMT]
Bodies of two persons, one male and the other female were recovered in Nilaave'li, about 16 km north of Trincomalee town by the Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) personnel, civil sources said.
Full story >>

82 civilians arrested in Gampaha, Wellawatte

[TamilNet, Saturday, 23 June 2007, 18:35 GMT]
Seventy-six civilians, majority of them Tamil, were arrested in Gampaha town in a cordon and search operation conducted by the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) and police from midnight of Friday till dawn Saturday. The arrested were taken into custody as they failed to prove their identity and the valid reason for their stay in the location.
Full story >>

Tamil civilian shot to death in Kalkudaa

[TamilNet, Saturday, 23 June 2007, 18:33 GMT]
Unidentified armed men shot and killed a family man Friday night in Karungkaalichchoalai area, Kalkudaa, in Batticaloa district, Vaazhaichcheanai police said. The men forcibly took the victim from the welfare centre at 9:45p.m., shot him at 10:00 p.m. and escaped from the site after dumping his body in Karungkaalichchoalai, according to police.
Full story >>

Moothoor HSZ racially discriminates, denies birthright of Tamils- Sampanthan

[TamilNet, Saturday, 23 June 2007, 18:24 GMT]
Rajavarothayam Sampanthan, Parliamentary Group Leader and Member of Parliament of Tamil National Alliance (TNA) in a speech delivered to the Sri Lanka parliament on 20th June during an adjournment motion related to the Sri Lanka Government's new regulations to establish a High Security Zone (HSZ) in Moothoor East-Champoor areas of the East said that the regulations are "a blatant violation of the fundamental human rights of the Tamil people," and denies "their fundamental right to resettle on the lands owned and possessed by them," and urged Colombo to "take steps to rescind the said regulations."
Full story >>

SLA shoots dead 2 youths in Point Pedro

[TamilNet, Saturday, 23 June 2007, 14:56 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) troopers shot dead 2 youths Friday evening at Katkoava'lam area in Point Pedro, Vadamaraadchchi. SLA claimed they shot the two youths dead as they tried to escape on encountering their patrol unit and they were Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) combatants. International committee of Red Cross (ICRC) officials visited Manthikai government hospital where the two bodies were handed over Friday night, police officials from Point Pedro said.
Full story >>

Court reprimands Vavuniyaa 21-4 Brigade, commends Oamanthai SLA

[TamilNet, Saturday, 23 June 2007, 14:51 GMT]
Vavuniyaa District Magistrate, M. Illancheliyan, in a directive sent to the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) Vanni region Commanding Officer and the Vanni SLA Commander, referring to the ten killings in one month in Seddiku'lam area in Vavuniyaa district which is under the direct command and presence of the SLA's 21-4 Brigade, said that the responsibility of ensuring the safety of civilians in this area rested entirely on the Commander of the SLA's 21-4 Brigade. The copies of the directive were also sent to Sri Lanka’s Chief Justice and the Attorney General.
Full story >>

Two held in UK on LTTE charges - reports

[TamilNet, Saturday, 23 June 2007, 12:03 GMT]
Sri Lankan press reports said this week that two Tamils had been arrested in Britain on suspicion of connections to the Liberation Tigers. Police in the UK would only say that two unnamed men have been detained on suspicion of providing support to a banned organisation they did not name, the BBC reported.
Full story >>

ACF questions Sri Lankan investigations on the massacre of 17 aid workers

[TamilNet, Saturday, 23 June 2007, 09:52 GMT]
Action Contre la Faim (Action Against Hunger/ACF) on Friday questioned whether the Sri Lankan investigations conducted on the massacre of 17 of its aid workers in Moothoor, would lead to an indictment against those responsible. No direct witness has come forward to testify as the judicial system lacks a witness protection program, the ACF said. The NGO has charged that the forensic results were not consistent with the Australian forensic report, the ballistic examinations have been conducted without an international observer, and an ACF representative was denied permissiion to attend the hearings of the Commission of Inquiry (CoI) set up by the SL President.
Full story >>

20 civilians arrested in Gampaha

[TamilNet, Friday, 22 June 2007, 23:21 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) and police arrested twenty civilians, most of them Tamil, during a combined cordon and search operation conducted from late night on Thursday till dawn on Friday in eleven police divisions in the Gampaha district in western province.
Full story >>

Military action need for Sinhala support – G. L. Peiris

[TamilNet, Friday, 22 June 2007, 23:17 GMT]
Sri Lanka has to militarily defeat the Liberation Tigers to encourage the majority Sinhalese to accept a peace deal with the Tamils, Colombo's trade minister, Prof. G. L. Peiris said Friday in an interview with Reuters. Prof. Peiris, a former chief negotiator for the SriLankan government who was famously associated with a landmark agreement with the LTTE in 2002 to explore federalism as a solution to the island’s ethnic conflict, said international criticism about his government’s human rights record was undermining peace.
Full story >>

Muslim woman knifed to death in Vaazhaichcheanai

[TamilNet, Friday, 22 June 2007, 23:13 GMT]
An unidentified attacker forced entry into a house at Maavadichcheanai in Vaazhaichcheanai police division in Batticaloa district Thursday around 3:00 a.m., knifed to death a young Muslim family woman and escaped from the site, sources in Vaazhaichcheanai said.
Full story >>

Missing civilian reported detained in SLA Vara'ni camp

[TamilNet, Friday, 22 June 2007, 23:12 GMT]
A young family man missing since June 13 from Manthuvil area in Thenmaraadchi, following a clash between unidentified armed men and Sri Lanka Army (SLA), is being detained in the SLA 52nd division camp at Vara'ni, his wife and family members said in a complaint made to Human Rights Commission (HRC) Jaffna office, Friday. The SLA and Kodikaamam police, however, refused to register their complaints, the complainants told the HRC.
Full story >>

Sri Lanka Co-Chairs to meet in Norway

[TamilNet, Friday, 22 June 2007, 23:10 GMT]
Norwegian Minister and Sri Lanka peace envoy, Eric Solheim is to host a meeting of the Sri Lanka Co-chairs, EU, Japan, the US and Norway, on 26 June to discuss matters related to Sri Lanka’s peace process, said a press release issued by Norway Friday.
Full story >>

Conditions in NE not conducive to hold local elections - GAs

[TamilNet, Friday, 22 June 2007, 15:07 GMT]
The Government Agents in the north and eastern provinces who are also designated as Assistant Commissioners of Elections informed the Commissioner General of Elections at a conference held Thursday in Election Secretariat in Colombo that the current ground situation in their districts is not conducive to hold any elections.
Full story >>

SLN sailor shot dead in Peasaalai

[TamilNet, Friday, 22 June 2007, 15:02 GMT]
Unidentified men fired at a group of Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) personnel on road patrol duty at Peasaalai in Mannaar district Friday at about 2.10 p.m. killing one sailor, sources in Mannaar said.
Full story >>

"White van" men visit Tamil Editor's residence

[TamilNet, Friday, 22 June 2007, 04:15 GMT]
A group of unknown men in a White van at 11:30 a.m Wednesday entered the Hamdan Lane, Wellawatte apartment building of N. Vidyadaran, editor of Colombo-based Tamil daily Sudar Oli, and had harassed the security guard at the reception after being told that Mr Vidyadaran was not in his apartment. The men had inspected the editor's car, threatened the guard, and left the building, Vidyadaran told TamilNet. He is also the General manager and Deputy Editor of Jaffna based daily Uthayan.
Full story >>

TRO raises refugees plight on World Refugee Day

[TamilNet, Friday, 22 June 2007, 03:51 GMT]
More than 750,000 people are currently internally displaced, and the conflict in Sri Lanka has resulted in over one million Tamil refugees leaving the island, said the Tamil Rehabilitation Organization (TRO), in a press release issued Wednesday marking the World Refugee Day held to honor of the 14 million global refugees. TRO release highlighted the plight of the 24.5 million conflict Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) worldwide displaced by conflict.
Full story >>

Place names highlight human-environment relationship

[TamilNet, Friday, 22 June 2007, 02:06 GMT]
TamilNet has recently launched a column on the etymology of place names in Sri Lanka. This feature, titled ‘Place name of the Day,’ appears on the right column of the first page. The aim is not only to investigate the etymology, meaning, spelling and pronunciation, but also to kindle looking at the cultures and heritage behind the concepts of nomenclature.
Full story >>

Gunmen ambush Peasaalai police station

[TamilNet, Thursday, 21 June 2007, 20:24 GMT]
A policeman was seriously injured when six gurellia gunmen ambushed the Sri Lankan Police station in Peasaalai, situated on Mannaar - Thalai Mannaar Road Thursday evening around 7:00 p.m., Police in Mannaar said. Tension prevailed in the area as SLN troopers and the Police in the area launched a cordon and search operation after the clash.
Full story >>

SLA extends fishing ban in Vadamaraadchi

[TamilNet, Thursday, 21 June 2007, 18:02 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) extended the fishing ban imposed in Vadamaraadchi region in Jaffna district on Wednesday, in the wake of the Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) and Sea Tiger battle in Point Pedro seas. There was no supply of fish in Vadamaraadchi Thursday. Fishing in the area was already restricted to day time and only one km into the sea from the coast, an impediment cutting down fishermen's catches and income.
Full story >>

CID summons UNP parliamentarian for inquiry

[TamilNet, Thursday, 21 June 2007, 16:03 GMT]
Dr.Jayalath Jayawardene, parliamentarian of the main opposition United National Party (UNP) representing the Gampaha district in western province was summoned by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of the Police to its office Friday morning to record his statement. Dr.Jayalath Jayawardene Thursday morning said parliament submitting a privilege motion that he had received a written letter from the CID Director in this regard without giving any reason, sources said.
Full story >>

3 SLA troopers killed, one injured in claymore attack in Jaffna city

[TamilNet, Thursday, 21 June 2007, 15:59 GMT]
Unidentified attackers triggered a claymore device Thursday around 5:45 p.m., killing three Sri Lanka Army (SLA) troopers and seriously wounding one at Eechchamoaddai coastal road area in the High Security Zone, 500 meters from Jaffna city. The SLA troopers were returning in a tractor to the main base at Eechchamoaddai after distributing food to their fellow men posted along Jaffna-Kandy road and Main street when the attack took place.
Full story >>

SLN recovers four bodies along Vadamaraadchi coast

[TamilNet, Thursday, 21 June 2007, 11:05 GMT]
Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) recovered four bodies of youths washed ashore along Vadamaraadchi coast Thursday. SLN spokesperson said that the bodies were handed over to KKS police, who transferred the bodies to Jaffna Teaching Hospital Thursday noon for postmortem examinations.
Full story >>

Sri Lanka Minister denies blocking TamilNet

[TamilNet, Thursday, 21 June 2007, 10:24 GMT]
Sri Lanka's Minister of Information Anura Priyadarashana Yapa said Thursday during a Cabinet Press Briefing in Colombo that the Sri Lanka Government was not responsible for blocking TamilNet, and asked the journalists not to blame the Government for such incidents. The Minister was responding to a question by AFP Sri Lanka Bureau Chief, Amal Jayasinghe, regarding the blocking of the TamilNet website by Sri Lanka internet providers, parliamentary sources from Colombo said.
Full story >>

Jaffna journalists apprise media's plight to visiting Rights Group

[TamilNet, Thursday, 21 June 2007, 10:10 GMT]
Representatives of the North Ceylon Journalists Association (NCJA), in a meeting with the two visiting representatives of Reporters sans Frontiérs (RSF) and Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) Wednesday that "the Sri Lanka Armed Forces' intimidation and restrictions intensifying each day in the Jaffna peninsula are pushing Jaffna Media services into an abyss of darkness more than ever before." The meeting was held at the Media Research and Training Centre attached to Jaffna University at 2:30 p.m.
Full story >>

Evicted Tamil civilians file affidavits in Supreme Court

[TamilNet, Thursday, 21 June 2007, 10:07 GMT]
Two Tamil civilians evicted from Colombo lodges and later brought back from Vavuniya during the first week of June have filed separate affidavits in the Sri Lanka's Supreme Court expressing their fear that they could be remanded in prisons if they continue to stay in the capital, legal sources said.
Full story >>

Colombo admits to cyber terrorism- FMM

[TamilNet, Thursday, 21 June 2007, 09:45 GMT]
Unequivocally condemning the "outrageous" statement by Sri Lanka's Minister Keheliya Rambuwella that "he would love to hire hackers to disable TamilNet," a press release by the Colombo-based media watchdog Free Media Movement, said Thursday that "the statement is tantamount to Government sanctioned cyber-terrorism against websites that do not toe its line. The reference to the use of hackers to shut down websites is a strategy that offensively transgresses the responsibility to protect fundamental rights of citizens, including the freedom of expression and the right to information, by a Government Minister."
Full story >>

RSF condemns Colombo for blocking access to TamilNet

[TamilNet, Thursday, 21 June 2007, 02:34 GMT]
Reporters without borders (RSF), a media rights watchdog condemned the Sri Lanka Government for its censorship of TamilNet noting that the past 10 years of its "coverage of Sri Lanka's civil war has proved essential," and demanded that "the government must put a stop to this censorship and restore access to the site at once," in a press release issued Wednesday.
Full story >>

Sinhala paramilitary child recruit commits suicide

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 20 June 2007, 14:02 GMT]
A 16-year-old Sinhala boy, Asiri Sambath, recruited by Karuna paramilitary group in Polonnaruwa Batticaloa border village Sevenapitiya in Welikanda shot himself with a handgun seized from a Sri Lankan Police Officer-in-Charge (OIC), police sources in Welikanda said. The child recruit was being taken to the courts by the Police pursuing a complaint lodged by his parents following his behaviour change, the sources added.
Full story >>

Shortage of drugs debilitates functioning of Adampan hospital

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 20 June 2007, 13:51 GMT]
The functioning of Adamban government hospital located in the LTTE controlled territory in Mannaar district has come to a standstill due to the acute shortage of medical supplies such as drugs allocated for the second quarter, hospital sources said. The hospital has not yet received the consignment for the second quarter that should have been received before the end of April, civil sources said.
Full story >>

Samaraweera invites Kumaratunga to join SLFP(M)

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 20 June 2007, 13:43 GMT]
Mangala Samaraweera, former Foreign Minister Wednesday speaking in parliament said the policy statement of his new party Sri Lanka Freedom Party (Peoples Wing) would be released next week. He declared that the country has become a police state with increased disappearances, abductions and human rights violations, parliamentary sources said.
Full story >>

Tamil driver abducted in Mannaar

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 20 June 2007, 12:11 GMT]
Unidentified persons abducted the driver of a three-wheeler in Mannaar Tuesday night and his three-wheeler was found abandoned near Siththivinaayakar Hindu College in Mannaar. Police later took the vehicle into custody, sources said.
Full story >>

Sri Lanka blocking access to TamilNet, deeply disturbing - FMM

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 20 June 2007, 11:40 GMT]
Noting that the access blocking of TamilNet in Sri Lanka “is a significant turn in the erosion of media freedom in Sri Lanka and clearly demonstrates the extent to which media is censored and the free flow of information curtailed, without any accountability, transparency or judicial oversight,” the Free Media Movement (FMM), in a media release issued Wednesday, called upon the Sri Lanka Government and relevant State authorities to immediately rescind the orders to block the access to TamilNet.
Full story >>

SLN, Sea Tigers battle at Point Pedro seas

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 19 June 2007, 21:20 GMT]
Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) in Colombo said Tuesday that its soldiers attacked more than 20 Sea Tiger vessels on the seas between SLN controlled area between Point Pedro Munai in Vadamaraadchci and Vettilaikea'ni, Kaddaikkaadu area held by Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). Fishermen living along the Vadamaraadchci coast, however, said that more than 20 Sea Tiger vessels Tuesday night stayed on during the night on the seas of SLN controlled Point Pedro Munai as SLN boats sought safety at SLN KKS base.
Full story >>

Evicted Tamil trader files FR petition in Supreme Court

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 19 June 2007, 20:43 GMT]
A Tamil trader, one of several hundred Tamil civilians who was evicted from Colombo on June 7 by the Sri Lanka police filed a fundamental rights petition in the Supreme Court Tuesday seeking the court to pay compensation to the evictees and to ensure that such harassment and fundamental rights violation is not repeated in the future, legal sources said.
Full story >>

Danish humanitarian local staffer abducted in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 19 June 2007, 20:18 GMT]
A local staffer at the Danish Humanitarian Demining Organization in Jaffna was abducted Monday morning on his way to work in Jaffna, the Danish NGO officials complained to the Government Agent, Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission and Sri Lanka Human Rights Commission in Jaffna Tuesday. Unidentified men waylaid and abducted the staffer riding motor cycle, in broad day light at Kuppi'laan, an area near Sri Lanka Army High Security Zone in the presence of other onlookers, sources in Jaffna said.
Full story >>

SLA shoots dead Tamil youth in Moothoor

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 19 June 2007, 20:07 GMT]
The Sri Lanka Army (SLA) Tuesday evening handed over the body of a Tamil youth with gunshot injuries to the Moothoor Government hospital. SLA troopers had shot dead the youth when he attempted to fire at them at I'raalkuzhi, a Tamil village in Moothoor division, according to SLA sources.
Full story >>

Mentally ill man found dead in Point Pedro

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 19 June 2007, 15:41 GMT]
A family man from Alvaay who was earlier taken for interrogation, and tortured by Sri Lanka Army (SLA) troopers, was found dead 8 days after he went missing from Point Pedro Base Hospital in Manthikai where he was receiving treatment for mental illness, sources in Point Pedro said. Hospital sources said they suspect suicide.
Full story >>

Sri Lanka blocks TamilNet

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 19 June 2007, 15:32 GMT]
TamilNet has completed 10th year of its web publication on 7th June 2007. TamilNet is a globally based news agency, run by an independent group of persons, to cover news and views related especially to the North and East of Sri Lanka. TamilNet has earned its credibility for news reporting and has become an indispensable news source for analysts and opinion makers worldwide. Unsurprisingly, the Government of Sri Lanka has thought of rewarding the TamilNet on its 10th anniversary by surreptitiously blocking it to the public of Sri Lanka.
Full story >>

Sri Lanka ranks as failed state in global index

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 19 June 2007, 14:06 GMT]
Sri Lanka is on the ‘alert list’ of states that have failed, a leading peace think tank, the Fund for Peace (FfP) says. In a global ranking of 177 states, Sri Lanka was placed below Liberia and the Republic of the Congo, using data collected in the second half of 2006. Ffp says counties were ranked using 12 indicators covering “a wide range of state failure risk elements.” Sri Lanka scored particularly poorly on rankings titled: ‘Criminalisation or de-legitimisation of the state’ and ‘Security apparatus operating as a state within a state’, ‘rise of factionalised elites.’
Full story >>

SLFP dissidents to launch new Party, SLFP(M)

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 19 June 2007, 10:16 GMT]
Former Sri Lanka's Foreign minister, Mangala Samaraweera, and former Port Development Minister, Sripathi Sooriyaarachchi, in a press release issued Tuesday in Colombo, said they will be launching a new Party, Sri Lanka Freedom Party (Mahajana Wing), SLFP (M), at the "auspicious time at 10.00 AM on Friday the 22nd June 2007 by paying floral tribute at the Bandaranaike Samadiya at Horogolla."
Full story >>

Samaraweera, Sripathi sit with opposition in SL Parliament

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 19 June 2007, 07:12 GMT]
Mangala Samaraweera, former Sri Lankan Foreign Minister sacked by SL President Mahinda Rajapaksa in February and Sripathi Sorriyaarachi, another minister sacked by Mr. Rajapaksa, on Tuesday, sat with the opposition in the Sri Lankan Parliament after stating that they wanted to show their displeasure over the policies of their Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP), the main constituent party of the UPFA government, on the present situation.
Full story >>

3 civilians arrested in Maathakal, fishing ban re-imposed

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 19 June 2007, 03:59 GMT]
Three civilians collecting firewood in the shrub land in Maathakal, one of the coastal villages in the Palaali High Security Zone (HSZ) were arrested by Sri Lanka Army (SLA) troopers Saturday morning for trespassing into prohibited areas. The civilians from Pa'ndaththarippu Chanthai area were handed over to I'lavaalai police on Monday and then produced at Mallaakam District Courts before the Magistrate, Mrs.Sarojni Ilangovan, sources in Jaffna said. The Magistrate directed the police to detain the arrested civilians at Jaffna prison till July 02.
Full story >>

Tamil youth arrested in Manthuvil taken to Colombo

[TamilNet, Monday, 18 June 2007, 19:35 GMT]
A Tamil youth from Manthuvil West, Kodikaamam, in Thenmaraadchi area arrested on May 28 has been taken by police officials of Criminal Investigation Division (CID) to Colombo to their fourth floor office for further investigation, sources in Jaffna said.The parents of the youth had reported at the Jaffna office of the Human Rights Commission (HRC) that the arrested youth detained at Kodikaamam police was removed to Palaali on June 14 and was then taken to Colombo.
Full story >>

Two fishermen reported missing in Kurunakar

[TamilNet, Monday, 18 June 2007, 17:28 GMT]
Two fishermen residing at a high rise housing scheme in Kurunakar, Jaffna are reported missing for the past three days, sources in Jaffna said.
Full story >>

SLA denies permission to visit Tamil civilian arrested in Colombo Lodge

[TamilNet, Monday, 18 June 2007, 17:26 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) officers have refused permission to a Point Pedro woman to travel to Colombo to visit her husband arrested in a lodge in Colombo May 28, the woman said in a compliant made to the Jaffna office of Sri Lanka Human Rights Commission(SLHRC), sources in Jaffna said.
Full story >>

SLA, Police search offices of Jaffna Tamil Daily

[TamilNet, Monday, 18 June 2007, 10:54 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers and Police, entered the premises of Jaffna popular daily, Yarl Thinakkural Monday morning and conducted a thorough search of the premises, civil society sources in Jaffna said. Locked cabinets were broken open and all documents were examined, staffers said.
Full story >>

Muslim woman files FR petition in Supreme Court

[TamilNet, Monday, 18 June 2007, 10:28 GMT]
A fundamental rights petition has been filed in the Supreme Court seeking the release of a Muslim woman who is being detained in the office of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) under the Emergency Regulations for the last six months, legal sources in Trincomalee said. The petitioner Abdul Lattif Sithy Nafeeka of Lingkanakar in Trincomalee and a mother of two children was arrested in January this year.
Full story >>

SL Defense Ministry accuses NY Times reporter of falsehood

[TamilNet, Monday, 18 June 2007, 08:24 GMT]
Sri Lanka's Military commander for Jaffna region, Major Gen. G.A. Chandrasiri Sunday accused Somini Sengupta, a senior reporter for New York Times for "shameful falsification of facts...depraving the true spirit of professional journalism," for quoting him as saying that "certain members of the Security forces are involved in Human Rights violations in Jaffna." The Major General said in a report published in Sri Lanka Defense Ministry website that he had never acknowledged involvement of armed forces in any of the crimes mentioned in the article or recognized any "Tamil Paramilitary group" as "pro-government."
Full story >>

SLA artillery kills civilian in Vadamaraadchi east

[TamilNet, Monday, 18 June 2007, 07:32 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) artillery fire on civilian settlements killed, a family man trying to flee from the falling shell, at Arasadichanthi in Vathiriyaan in Vadamaraadchi east coast, Saturday around 3:00 p.m., sources in Vadamaraadchi said. SLA has intensified the artillery and Multi Barrel Rocket Launcher (MBRL) fire since Tuesday and shells have fallen in several civilian settlements in Vadamaraadchi east, Pazhai, Iyakkachchi, Poonakari and Ki'laali.
Full story >>

SLA directs MBRL, artillery fire on LTTE positions

[TamilNet, Sunday, 17 June 2007, 17:12 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) directed artillery barrage and multi barrel rocket launcher (MBRL) fire against Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) Front Line Defence (FDL) positions in Poonakari, Ki'laali, and Mukamaalai from SLA bases inside Jaffna district Saturday night, sources in Jaffna said. Meanwhile, Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) kfir fast attack crafts circled over the peninsula day time Saturday, the sources added.
Full story >>

GoSL indifferent to Jaffna power shortage

[TamilNet, Sunday, 17 June 2007, 15:18 GMT]
Sri Lanka government's disinterest in co-operating with Jaffna peninsula electricity suppliers to transport urgently needed lubricants from Colombo for their generators has resulted in the break down of normal electricity supply to Jaffna peninsula, civil sources in Jaffna said. "Kool-Air" firm, operating from Kaangkeasanthu'rai, faces imminent crisis of complete break down if lubricants are not brought from Colombo urgently, according to sources close to the power-generating company.
Full story >>

Muslim youth shot dead in Moothoor

[TamilNet, Sunday, 17 June 2007, 12:13 GMT]
A Muslim youth was shot dead by unidentified persons Saturday night around 10:00 p.m. in Jinna Nagar in Moothoor division in Trincomalee district. The victim was earlier working with the Sri Lanka Army (SLA), sources in Moothoor said.
Full story >>

Colombo court releases Jaffna youth

[TamilNet, Sunday, 17 June 2007, 03:16 GMT]
A Jaffna youth working in a Colombo business establishment as cashier was released by Colombo-Maligakanda Magistrate Friday on a report by the Maradana police that did not find any evidence in the investigation to charge him for any offence, legal sources said.
Full story >>

SLA cordons, searches I'nuvil in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Saturday, 16 June 2007, 13:52 GMT]
More than two hundred Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers, trucked to Maruthanaa Madam and I'nuvil East areas early morning 5:00 a.m Saturday, cordoned off and conducted house-by-house search of the areas, source in Jaffna said.
Full story >>

Two Jaffna youths arrested in Matale

[TamilNet, Saturday, 16 June 2007, 13:45 GMT]
Two Jaffna youths were arrested in Kaluthaavalai, a village in Matale district in central province Friday morning, in a cordon and search operation by the police. The youths have been identified as Krishnapillai Prashanthan, 29, and Ramesh Karthik, 21, of Cha'ndilippaay in Jaffna district.
Full story >>

Vanni teachers express fear to travel to Colombo

[TamilNet, Saturday, 16 June 2007, 13:39 GMT]
Vanni district teachers who have been called to appear for interview in Colombo to follow a course in Bachelor of Education degree are reluctant to go to Colombo due to fear of abduction and arrest by the security forces. Vanni district parliamentarian Mr.Selva Adaikalanathan has brought this matter to the notice of Colombo authorities, sources said.
Full story >>

Police arrests 23 Tamil youths in Chilaw, Puththa'lam

[TamilNet, Saturday, 16 June 2007, 13:33 GMT]
Twenty-three Tamil youths including three women were arrested in two separate cordon and search operations conducted the police at Nochchiayagama in Puththa'lam district, and Kochchimaduwa in Chilaw (Chilaapam) district Thursday night. All arrested are being detained in local police stations and are being interrogated by the Terrorist Intelligence Unit, sources said.
Full story >>

ICJ asks SL President to establish International Human Rights field operation

[TamilNet, Saturday, 16 June 2007, 11:08 GMT]
International Commission of Jurists, expressed serious concerns, after a meeting with the Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa in Geneva on Thursday. "There are serious questions about the integrity, credibility and thoroughness of the police investigations," said Secretary General of the NGO comprising sixty of the world's most eminent jurists, in a press release Friday. Mr. Nicholas Howen urged the Sri Lankan President to order renewed, impartial and thorough investigations into the killing of 17 Action Contre la Faim aid workers in Moothoor in August 2006 and the killing of five young Tamils in Trincomalee in January 2006.
Full story >>

SLA relaxes restrictions on fish transport from Mannaar

[TamilNet, Saturday, 16 June 2007, 11:03 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) Friday permitted the transportation of fish by lorries from Mannaar to southern parts of the country without the lorries having to unload, reload at Madawachchi in north central province. However, SLA officials also agreed to allow only three lorries of Mannaar traders to proceed to south beyond Madawachchi to transport vegetables to Mannaar, business sources said.
Full story >>

3 Tamils from Batticaloa arrested for Galle trip

[TamilNet, Saturday, 16 June 2007, 10:23 GMT]
Three Tamils, two males and a female, were taken into Sri Lanka Police custody Wednesday evening at Ambalangoda while travelling in a private bus from Galle to Colombo, Police sources said. The three persons, from Ka'luvaagnchchikudi in Batticaloa, are being interrogated by the Police to find out the purpose of their visit to Galle, the sources added.
Full story >>

Colombo Tamil businessman files FR petition

[TamilNet, Friday, 15 June 2007, 11:28 GMT]
A leading Tamil businessman in Fort who was arrested on an allegation that he had been transporting prohibited items to LTTE has filed a fundamental right petition in the Sri Lanka's Supreme Court. He is being detained in the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) office since his arrest on May 12, legal sources said.
Full story >>

Colombo court releases 15 Moothoor Tamil civilians

[TamilNet, Friday, 15 June 2007, 11:23 GMT]
Fifteen Tamil civilians arrested by the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) in Moothoor division were released by the Colombo Chief Magistrate Ms Sarojini Kusala Weerawardene Wednesday after six months in detention when the police informed court that there was no evidence against them to charge in court. All are residents of Pa'l'likkudiyiruppu, a Tamil village in Moothoor division, legal sources said.
Full story >>

14 Tamils arrested in Marawila

[TamilNet, Friday, 15 June 2007, 11:22 GMT]
Police arrested fourteen Tamils in Marawila, a town in Chilaw district Thursday night, in a cordon and search operation. Majority of them were from northeast and the others are from upcountry towna.
Full story >>

IIGEP questions role of AG's department in Commission

[TamilNet, Thursday, 14 June 2007, 23:28 GMT]
In the second public statement released by the Independent Group of Eminent Persons (IIGEP) Thursday, the chairman P.N. Baghawati, a former chief justice of Indian Supreme Court, said that "involvement of the Attorney General’s Department in the Commission [of Inquiry] (CoI) compromises national and international principles of independence and impartiality that are central to the credibility and public confidence of the Commission." The panel of Eminent Persons is in Sri Lanka at the invitation of Sri Lanka's President to observe and monitor the work of the CoI into the alleged cases of human rights violations and killings.
Full story >>

Amnesty calls for UN human rights monitors for Sri Lanka

[TamilNet, Thursday, 14 June 2007, 18:14 GMT]
Noting that "the alarming escalation of human rights abuses over the past 18 months clearly shows that existing domestic mechanisms for protecting civilians and delivering justice are wholly inadequate and have failed to deter perpetrators," Amnesty International's Secretary General Irene Khan, in a press release issued Thursday, urged Sri Lanka's President Rajapakse to "invite United Nations to set up a strong human rights field operation in Sri Lanka to investigate and verify serious human rights abuses committed by all sides."
Full story >>

Mawbima journalist harassed in Colombo

[TamilNet, Thursday, 14 June 2007, 17:31 GMT]
Mawbima journalist Ms Mounasamy Parameswary Thursday registered a complaint with the Borella Police that unidentified men waylaid her while walking towards her office, and had forcibly removed her passport and national identity card. She has also complained to the Free Media Movement (FMM) about the incident.
Full story >>

SLRC staff to avoid using train, private vehicles

[TamilNet, Thursday, 14 June 2007, 16:10 GMT]
The Sri Lanka Red Cross (SLRC) has directed its district branch staff and volunteers to use only SLRC vehicles for travel to and from Colombo for official visits, and not to use private vehicles and trains. The directive has come into effect immediately, SLRC sources in Colombo said.
Full story >>

Colombo admits Sri Lanka Navy shot NGO worker

[TamilNet, Thursday, 14 June 2007, 15:58 GMT]
A Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) sailor who was guarding a sentry post at the SLN naval detachment shot the International NGO worker Wednesday night wounding the Philippino national as he "failed to stop walking towards the SLN point ignoring the warning shots" fired by a SLN sailor on duty, a spokesman at the Sri Lankan government media centre said Thursday. The shooting incident comes a day after UN expressed deep concern regarding the safety and security of humanitarian workers in the aftermath of an interview by the Sri Lankan Defence Secretary who charged that the NGO and UN have been infiltrated by the Tigers for 30 years.
Full story >>

Court issues notice to Respondents in FR case

[TamilNet, Thursday, 14 June 2007, 10:46 GMT]
Three-member bench of the Sri Lanka's Supreme Court Wednesday directed its registrar to issue notice on eight respondents including the Commander of the Sri Lanka Army, Inspector General of Police, Officer-in-Charge of the Terrorist Intelligence Unit and the Attorney General to appear in court on the next date in connection with the fundamental rights application filed by two Jaffna Tamil civilians now being detained in Boosa detention centre, legal sources said.
Full story >>

INGO volunteer shot, injured in Trincomalee

[TamilNet, Thursday, 14 June 2007, 07:18 GMT]
A Philippine national working for Mercy Corps, an International NGO, was seriously injured when a gunman shot at him Wednesday night around 9:45 p.m at Allesgarden, located about two km off north of Trincomalee town. Mr. Mahalucgs was returning to his residence in Hotel Club Ocean when the incident occurred, according to a spokesperson from the Mercy Corps.
Full story >>

UN pressures LTTE to show progress on child rights issues

[TamilNet, Thursday, 14 June 2007, 02:09 GMT]
The UN Security Council’s Working Group on Children in Armed Conflict said that Liberation Tigers and the Karuna group "continue to recruit and use child soldiers and commit serious violations of children’s rights," and in a statement urged the LTTE "to proceed immediately, in a transparent manner, to return the children to their families, to respect the neutrality of schools and to permit access to humanitarian actors in zones that are under its control." The Working Group made a similar statement addressing the Karuna faction.
Full story >>

Tamil youth shot dead, 3 abducted in Batticaloa

[TamilNet, Thursday, 14 June 2007, 00:14 GMT]
Unidentified armed youths shot and killed Tuesday morning a Tamil youth near the refugee camp at 14th Colony at Ma'ndoor in Vellaave'li police division in Batticaloa district. Armed men alleged to be members of Karuna group abducted three Tamil youths from the same area Tuesday, according to sources in Batticaloa.
Full story >>

Two Tamil youths shot dead in Akkaraippattu

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 13 June 2007, 21:08 GMT]
Two sheet metal workers who accompanied unidentified men to do repair work Tuesday around 7:30 p.m. from their homes at Akkaraipattu in Ampaa'rai district, were shot dead around 8:00 p.m, Akkaraipattu police said. The police recovered the victims' bodies Wednesday around 7:00 a.m, from the 4th mile area along Akkaraipattu-Ampaa'rai main road.
Full story >>

Tiran Alles released on bail

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 13 June 2007, 16:48 GMT]
The Colombo Chief Magistrate Ms Sarojini Kusala Weerawardene released Mr.Tiran Alles, publisher of Sinhala weekly Mawbima on heavy bail Wednesday, legal sources in Colombo said. He was ordered to furnish cash bail of Rs.500,000 and with three sureties entering into a sum of Rs 1m. He was also ordered to report to the Terrorism Intelligence Unit (TIU) of the Police every Sunday. The court also warned him that it would cancel the bail for obstruction of justice if he was found coercing witnesses related to the case.
Full story >>

UN reacts to Gotabhaya's accusations

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 13 June 2007, 12:37 GMT]
The United Nations on Wednesday strongly reacted to an interview given by Gotabhaya Rajapakse, the Sri Lankan Defence Secretary, who had charged Tuesday that the UN agencies had been "infiltrated" and "misled" by the Tigers. Frederick Lyons, the resident and humanitarian coordinator in Sri Lanka, said he had "absolutely no grounds" to question the integrity of the UN staff in Sri Lanka. Such groundless accusations could seriously endanger the safety and security of UN staff in an environment in which a number of humanitarian workers have lost their lives over the past year, he said expressing deep concern regarding the accusations by Mr. Gotabhaya.
Full story >>

TamilNet Transcription: manual in Tamil released

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 13 June 2007, 12:00 GMT]
A detailed manual, along with an introduction outlining the salient features of TamilNet Transcription, is released for the benefit of Tamil readers. Comments and offers for software are welcome.
Full story >>

Vegetable business collapses in Mannaar

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 13 June 2007, 11:15 GMT]
Traders engaged in selling vegetables in Mannaar town have closed their businesses due to the restriction imposed by the Sri Lanka Army on lorries transporting food stuffs from the south of the country to Mannaar town. Lorries transporting produce from Mannaar to Sri Lanka's south and vegetables from Dambulla to Mannaar are not allowed to proceed beyond Mathawachchiya in the north central province, business sources said.
Full story >>

Tamil youth released in Colombo, re-arrested in Negombo

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 13 June 2007, 11:13 GMT]
Negombo police arrested a Tamil youth, resident of Vavuniya within two weeks after his release by the Colombo Fort Magistrate Mr.Namal Bandara Ballele on May 30, sources in Negombo said. The youth was earlier released after a report submitted to courts by Kollupity Police that the suspect was not involved in any terrorist activity while staying in Colombo.
Full story >>

Court releases 42 Tamils arrested after Fort claymore attack

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 13 June 2007, 11:11 GMT]
Forty-two Tamil civilians arrested on May 24 in Fort area in Colombo following the claymore mine explosion at Reclamation Road were released by the Colombo Chief Magistrate Monday without any condition on a report from the police that all the suspects were not involved in any crime according to investigation conducted by the Terrorist Intelligence Unit, legal sources said.
Full story >>

Search operation follows discovery of claymore mine in Wellawatte

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 13 June 2007, 11:08 GMT]
The Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers and Police Wednesday morning launched a cordon and search operation in Wellawatte area in Colombo following the discovery of a claymore mine hidden near the Wellawatte railway station around 6.45 a.m., police sources said.
Full story >>

Five Tamils arrested in Kandy

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 13 June 2007, 11:05 GMT]
Five Tamil civilians were arrested in Kandy Monday evening in a cordon and search operation and are being detained in Kandy police station, police sources in Kandy said. The arrested are being questioned to find out the purpose of their visit to hill country, police sources said.
Full story >>

Vavuniyaa district villagers ask for additional security

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 13 June 2007, 10:39 GMT]
Residents of Vaarikkuddiyoor and Paavatku'lam villages in Vavuniyaa have requested Vavuniyaa district Government Agent to provide additional security for their villages, sources in Vavuniyaa said. The request has been forwarded through the Cheddiku'lam district secretary, residents of the affected villages said.
Full story >>

31,000 to be resettled in Vavu'natheevu

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 13 June 2007, 10:18 GMT]
A conference to review the third stage of resettlement process of the IDPs in Vavu'natheevu area, Batticaloa, scheduled to commence Friday June 15, was held Tuesday morning 10:00a.m. at Vavu'natheevu Divisional Secretariat attended by a number of administrative officials and members of the Sri Lanka forces, sources in Batticaloa said. Nearly 31,000 members of 8100 families are to be resettled during this phase, according to details revealed at the meeting.
Full story >>

Mine blast injures 2 fishermen in Vaakarai

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 13 June 2007, 00:02 GMT]
A mine left buried in Vaakarai sea shore in Batticaloa district exploded Monday around 8:30 a.m. injuring two fishermen who had gone fishing in the area, Vaakarai police said.
Full story >>

Five persons arrested over electricity pylon blast at Wellampitya

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 12 June 2007, 18:34 GMT]
Sri Lanka police arrested five Tamils Tuesday morning in connection with a blast of an electricity pylon carrying high-voltage electric cables at Oorugodawatte in Wellampitya police division along Colombo-Avissawella road. The pylon had been supplying electricity from Kelanitisaa to Biyagama and located in the high security zone, police sources said.
Full story >>

SL forces cordon, search Nilaave'li

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 12 June 2007, 18:31 GMT]
A combined cordon and search operation was conducted by the Sri Lanka forces and police in and around Nilaave'li village located along Trincomalee-Kuchchave'li road, about 11 km north of east port town. The search follows the explosion of a claymore mine targeting a vehicle carrying Sri Lanka Navy personnel Tuesday morning around 8:45 a.m. However the target was missed, police sources said.
Full story >>

‘Anything is fair’ when fighting LTTE - Gothabaya

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 12 June 2007, 15:14 GMT]
Sri Lanka’s hardline Defence Secretary launched a bitter attack on the international community Tuesday, saying Sri Lanka was being bullied by Western states over human rights. “We have to defend ourselves. I'm talking about terrorists. Anything is fair,” Gotabaya Rajapaksa told Reuters and the BBC. He said the United Nations agencies had been infiltrated and misled by the Liberation Tigers over 30 years.
Full story >>

5 Tamil youths shot dead in 2 separate incidents in Batticaloa

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 12 June 2007, 12:00 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) shot dead four Tamil youths in retaliation when unidentified persons lobbed a hand grenade Tuesday around 11:35 a.m., on the SLA street patrol unit at Naakathampiraan koayil Veethi, Chiththaa'ndi in Ea'raavoor police division in Batticaloa district, Ea'raavoor police said. Meanwhile, unknown persons abducted a Tamil youth Monday around 8:15 p.m., at Maavadiveampu in Ea'raavoor police division and shot him dead.
Full story >>

Thousands attend Toronto rally

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 12 June 2007, 10:29 GMT]
Thousands of Tamil Canadians rallied at the Scarborough Albert Campbell square, coinciding with the start of the 5th session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, and urged the International community to accept an autonomous Tamil Nation through Self Determination applicable under International law.
Full story >>

Canadian MP recommends "Decentralized Federal Model" for Sri Lanka

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 12 June 2007, 02:37 GMT]
Mr.Pierre Polievre, Conservative MP for Nepean- Carleton, and the Parliamentary Secretary to the President of the Treasury Board, in a report released Sunday, requested the Government of Canada to assist Sri Lanka to move into a decentralized Federal model similar to Canada with autonomy and rights to minorities. The report called for action from the Government of Canada to use its influence to put an end to the tragic fighting, rampant human rights abuses and discrimination in aid distribution throughout Sri Lanka.
Full story >>

10 000 Tamils march towards UN in Geneva

[TamilNet, Monday, 11 June 2007, 21:58 GMT]
Thousands of Tamil diaspora members from across Europe gathered in Switzerland Monday and marched towards the United Nations Office at Geneva urging solidarity from the World Community for Tamil people's right to Self Determination and Statehood.
Full story >>

12 Tamils detained, search operation in North Central Province

[TamilNet, Monday, 11 June 2007, 18:24 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) and Police launched a search operation in Mannampittiya in North Central Province at 4:00 a.m. Monday. 122 Tamils were taken in trucks to Polonnaruwa Police. 12 persons were detained for further interrogations and the others were released around 6:00 p.m., Police sources said.
Full story >>

SLN slaps travel ban to Jaffna islets

[TamilNet, Monday, 11 June 2007, 10:41 GMT]
Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) imposed a total ban from Monday early morning on travel to the Jaffna islets through Pa'n'nai bridge, and barred people from either entering or leaving the Islets, sources in Jaffna said. The travel restriction may have been prompted by a clash said to have been erupted between the SLN and unidentified armed men Sunday night at Pu'liyangkoodal junction in Kayts. The Islets are under control of the SLN.
Full story >>

Tamil villager reported missing in Kuchchave'li

[TamilNet, Monday, 11 June 2007, 10:38 GMT]
A Tamil civilian from Kumburupitty, a traditional village located in Kuchchave'li police division in Trincomalee, is reported to be missing since Sunday evening. He left home to collect firewood in the nearby jungle and had failed to return, his relatives told the police. Kumburupitty is located about 22 km north of Trincomalee town.
Full story >>

IIGEP faults Commission of lacking Independence, Timeliness

[TamilNet, Monday, 11 June 2007, 09:42 GMT]
International Independent Group of Eminent Persons (IIGEP), in a report released to the President of Sri Lanka on 1st June on the President’s Commission of Inquiry (CoI) to Investigate and Inquire into Alleged Serious Violations of Human Rights, said: "We have identified and raised a number of concerns with the Commission and the Government of Sri Lanka. We remain concerned that current measures taken by the Government of Sri Lanka and the Commission to address issues such as the independence of the Commission, timeliness and witness protection are not adequate and do not satisfy international norms and standards."
Full story >>

Moothoor Tamil youths file FR petitions in Supreme Court

[TamilNet, Monday, 11 June 2007, 08:54 GMT]
Six Tamil youths, five from Moothoor and one from Trincomalee town in Trincomalee district currently detained in the Boosa detention centre in Galle district in southern province under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) Friday filed separate fundamental rights applications in the Sri Lanka's Supreme Court, legal sources said.
Full story >>

Muslim civilian shot dead in Nilaave'li

[TamilNet, Sunday, 10 June 2007, 18:46 GMT]
A Muslim civilian was shot dead by unidentified men in Chittoor, a Muslim hamlet in Nilaave'li village located about 16 km off north of Trincomalee along Trincomalee-Kuchchave'li road, Saturday evening. He was identified as Mohamed Mathar, 34, Kuchchave'li police sources said.
Full story >>

10 killed in prolonged fight in Batticaloa - LTTE

[TamilNet, Sunday, 10 June 2007, 13:48 GMT]
Liberation Tigers Military Spokesman, on Sunday, said the Tiger forces have reconsolidated four Forward Defence Line (FDL) localities surrounding the Kudumpimalai area after 36 hours of heavy fighting with the Sri Lankan forces in which the Tigers lost 10 fighters at the forward positions in Palaamaadu and Maavadi Oadai. Meanwhile the Sri Lanka Army has claimed to have inflicted heavy casualties on the Tigers. Dead bodies of eight LTTE fighters killed in action were handed over to the ICRC, the SLA said.
Full story >>

Support grows for EU move on Sri Lanka rights situation

[TamilNet, Sunday, 10 June 2007, 12:50 GMT]


The deteriorating human rights situation in Sri Lanka is fuelling support for a long-pending European Union (EU) resolution against Sri Lanka at the UN Human Rights Council, a British government note to UK members of the EU parliament says. The briefing came as the EU last week issued the most strident international condemnation of the Sri Lankan government’s deportation of several hundred Tamils from Colombo. The deportations came a day after Sri Lanka was severely criticized at a EU Parliament held a public hearing into the human rights situation in the island.
Full story >>

Deportation, reminiscent of The Holocaust, says Rights Group

[TamilNet, Sunday, 10 June 2007, 12:44 GMT]
Characterizing the forcible deportation of the ethnic Tamils from Colombo to the Northern and Eastern parts as "reminiscent of The Holocaust,” the Asian Center for Human Rights (ACHR), a HongKong based Human Rights watchdog, urged the government of India and the ruling government in Tamil Naadu, the Dravida Munnetra Khazagam (DMK), to "intervene against the acts of ethnic cleansing and racism being perpetrated by the government of Sri Lanka against the Tamil minorities," in a press release issued Friday.
Full story >>

Sri Lanka to recruit 50,000 more troops

[TamilNet, Sunday, 10 June 2007, 12:24 GMT]
Sri Lanka’s government plans to recruit 50,000 more soldiers, the Sunday Leader newspaper said this week. The paper quoted Sri Lanka's President Mahinda Rajapakse telling a cabinet meeting on Wednesday June 6 that unnecessary government expenditure has to be avoided to fund the expansion of the Army.
Full story >>

Japan aid flows amid ‘renewed optimism’

[TamilNet, Sunday, 10 June 2007, 11:02 GMT]
Japan has no immediate plans to follow the lead of several other donor countries and freeze aid to Sri Lanka, the country’s Special Peace Envoy Yasushi Akashi was quoted as saying at the end of his four-day visit to the island Saturday. The envoy said whilst he had been depressed when he arrived Tuesday, he was leaving Sri Lanka with renewed hope and optimism that the Sri Lankan government is committed to a political solution and to upholding the rule of law, The Nation newspaper reported.
Full story >>

Police impose new transport restriction in the East

[TamilNet, Sunday, 10 June 2007, 09:35 GMT]
Lorries carrying goods from Batticaloa and Ampaa'rai districts to Colombo must unload for police inspection at Naavaladi in Vaazhaichcheanai and Maakoa area, and the goods transferred to different lorries bound to Colombo, according to a new directive issued by the Batticaloa district Senior Police Commissioner H. M. D. Herath, sources in Batticaloa said. The rule, which comes to effect Sunday (today), also applies to Colombo lorries bringing in goods to the East.
Full story >>

Canada condemns forced removal of Tamils

[TamilNet, Sunday, 10 June 2007, 00:03 GMT]
Canadian High Commission, on Saturday, issued a press statement condemning the forced removal of Tamils from Colombo back to conflict zones in the north and east and welcomed the stay issued by the Sri Lankan Supreme Court. The Canadian statement further said there cannot be a military solution to the conflict that has besieged the island for more than 20 years.
Full story >>

State machinery brutalizes Tamils with impunity- TNA

[TamilNet, Saturday, 09 June 2007, 17:21 GMT]
Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentarians condemned the eviction of Tamils from Colombo as "one more reprehensible act of discrimination against Tamils by the State of Sri Lanka," and called upon the International Community to "take cognizance of this grave situation facing the Tamil people," in a press release issued Friday from Colombo.
Full story >>

Lawyer-Client privacy violated in Boosa camp, lawyers say

[TamilNet, Saturday, 09 June 2007, 16:14 GMT]
Lawyers who have clients in Boosa detention centre, located in Galle in the southern province where political prisoners are detained, allege that they are unable to talk to their clients privately without being closely monitored by officials of Terrorist Intelligence Unit (TIU) located in the premises, legal sources said.
Full story >>

SLA threatens Jaffna transport workers to suspend protest

[TamilNet, Saturday, 09 June 2007, 12:18 GMT]
Protest by the Jaffna Transport Board workers in Koa'ndaavil bus depot against the abduction of one of the workers in the Jaffna Islet of Veala'nai Thursday was terminated Saturday noon following threats by the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) to the administrative officials in the depot, Transport union officials said.
Full story >>

Youth shot dead in Perungku'lam

[TamilNet, Saturday, 09 June 2007, 11:30 GMT]
Unknown armed men waiting in ambush in shrub jungles near Perupngku'lam juntion in Thenmaraadchi shot dead a Tamil youth at 6:30 p.m. Friday, sources in Jaffna said. The youth was riding a bicylce towards his house near the Perungku'lam junction close to Sri Lanka Army (SLA) camp when he was shot.
Full story >>

Two Thenmaraadchi youths file FR petitions in Supreme Court

[TamilNet, Saturday, 09 June 2007, 11:11 GMT]
Two Tamil youths, natives of Thenmaraadchi division in Jaffna district now being detained in Welikada prison under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) since their arrest on June 27 last year, filed fundamental rights applications in the Sri Lanka's Supreme Court Thursday begging the court to declare that their fundamental rights enshrined in the constitution have been violated due to their illegal arrest and detention, legal sources said.
Full story >>

Prices spiral due to SLA restrictions in Vavuniyaa

[TamilNet, Saturday, 09 June 2007, 08:18 GMT]
Traders Union and Production Sector Union in Vavuniyaa handed memoranda to Government Agent Vavuniyaa Friday complaining against the recent Sri Lanka Army (SLA) restrictions placed on lorries transporting goods between north and south. Traders in Vavuniyaa and the south have to unload their lorries at Eeratperiyaku'lam SLA check-post on the southern boundary of Vavuniyaa and transfer the goods to another set of lorries. Extra time, labor and money involved in this arrangement have caused prices of goods to rise both in Vavuniyaa and the south, the traders informed.
Full story >>

Vanni teachers' sit-in-protest in Jaffna continues

[TamilNet, Saturday, 09 June 2007, 06:16 GMT]
The sit-in-protest launched Tuesday by Vanni Teachers in front of Jaffna Education Office and the Additional Provincial Director's office continued Friday, extending to include Northern Provincial Council's Co-ordinating office located in front of Jaffna Secretariat, stalling work at all three offices. The spokesman for the agitators said that their sit-in-protest will cover all other Education offices in Jaffna from Monday if their demands are not met.
Full story >>

Rights group appeals to stop expulsion of Tamils

[TamilNet, Saturday, 09 June 2007, 04:14 GMT]
Human Rights commission (HRC) Jaffna sent an urgent appeal Friday, to Sri Lanka Human Rights Commission (SLRC) head office in Colombo, soliciting action to stop Jaffna peninsula Tamils being expelled from Colombo by the police, sources close to Jaffna HRC said. The peninsula residents who are in Colombo had secured Sri Lanka Army (SLA) permission to travel out, clearing many hurdles to attend urgent and important matters in Colombo, HRC said.
Full story >>

Youth in police custody feared killed in Thenmaraadchi

[TamilNet, Saturday, 09 June 2007, 01:13 GMT]
A youth taken by Sri Lanka Army (SLA) for interrogation on 29 May, and after undergoing torture, handed over to Chavakachcheari police to be held in police custody, is feared killed, according to the complaint made by his father Friday to Jaffna Human Rights Commission office. The police, after obtaining permission from the District Judge to hold the youth in custody for further interrogation had later informed the youth's father that his son had escaped from custody.
Full story >>

Norway condemns enforced removal of Tamils from Colombo

[TamilNet, Saturday, 09 June 2007, 00:16 GMT]
Norway condemned the Sri Lankan government’s enforced removal of Tamils from Colombo and said the move was a "clear violation of international humanitarian law," in a press communiqué issued by the Norwegian Embassy in Colombo Friday. Norway urged Colombo to "cease any further enforced removal of Tamils from Colombo, and to consider granting immediate permission to return for those already removed from the city."
Full story >>

Protest against police expulsion of Tamils held in Colombo

[TamilNet, Friday, 08 June 2007, 14:55 GMT]
Human Rights Organizations and various political parties jointly staged a protest demonstration at Lipton Circle in Colombo Friday noon, condemning the forced expulsion of Tamils from Colombo Thursday by Sri Lanka police, sources in Colombo said. Parliamentarians of Tamil National Alliance, Western Peoples Front, New Leftists Front, Sama Samaja Party and leaders of Human Rights organizations, National Peace Council, National Front Against War, Free Media Movement and members took part in the demonstration which lasted for an hour and a half.
Full story >>

9 decomposed bodies recovered in Puththa'lam

[TamilNet, Friday, 08 June 2007, 11:33 GMT]
Nine dead bodies were recovered by the Police in Dummaladeniya at Wennappuwa in Puththa'lam district and transferred to Ragama Teaching Hospital for autopsy Saturday morning. Police in Wennappuwa has cordoned off the unpopulated area and the search operation is continuing Saturday to recover more dead bodies from the interior shrub jungles.
Full story >>

Stiff resistance to SLA assault in Batticaloa, 16 troopers wounded

[TamilNet, Friday, 08 June 2007, 11:08 GMT]
Sri Lankan forces launched a three pronged offensive, attempting to move towards the Liberation Tigers of Tamileelam (LTTE) territory in Kudumpimalai (Thoppigala) jungles in Batticaloa district since 5:30 a.m. Friday. The SL forces encountered stiff resistance from Tiger forces at the Forward Defence Line in Eera'laikku'lam, Palaamadu and Puluddumaan Oadai, Sri Lankan military sources in Batticaloa said. 11 Sri Lankan troopers were airlifted to Polonnaruwa hospital, 2 more were being sent from Battcaloa and another two admitted at Maha Oya hospital, medical sources said.
Full story >>

Transport worker, Postal employee abducted in Jaffna Islets

[TamilNet, Friday, 08 June 2007, 10:54 GMT]
A conductor with the Sri Lanka Transport Board (SLTB) has been abducted in Veala'nai in Jaffna Islets Thursday, according a complaint made by his wife at the Jaffna Offices of Human Rights Commission. Meanwhile, a postal worker has also disappeared in Neduntheevu Thursday, islet residents reaching Jaffna said. Telephone communications to the islets have been cut-off and no official complaint has yet been registered with the HRC, civil society sources in Jaffna said.
Full story >>

Trinco Tamil youth files FR petition in Supreme Court

[TamilNet, Friday, 08 June 2007, 10:33 GMT]
A fundamental rights petition was filed Wednesday in the Sri Lanka's Supreme Court seeking the release of a Trincomalee Tamil youth who is detained in Boosa detention camp located in Galle. Rev.Fr.V.Yoheswaran, a human rights activist on behalf of the youth Navaneethan Sathiskumar, 28, filed the petition through his counsel Mr.Manjula Balasuriya.
Full story >>

SLAF bombs Ki'linochchi suburbs, normalcy disturbed

[TamilNet, Friday, 08 June 2007, 07:33 GMT]
Five bombers of the Sri Lanka Air Force flew at low altitude Friday morning and bombed southern suburbs of Ki'linochchi town. The first air raid took place at 7:40 a.m. when children were on their way to schools. Tension prevailed in the town and normalcy was disturbed.
Full story >>

SL Supreme Court issues stay order on expelling Tamils from Colombo lodges

[TamilNet, Friday, 08 June 2007, 07:20 GMT]
Sri Lanka's Supreme Court Friday accepted a fundamental rights application filed by the Centre for Policy Alternatives (CPA) against the expulsion of Tamil civilians from Colombo lodges for proper inquiry. Justice Nimal Gamini Amaratunge after preliminary inquiry into the FR application issued an interim injunction on the law enforcement authority to stop expelling Tamil civilians until the inquiry is completed, legal sources said.
Full story >>

U.S. condemns forced removal of Tamils

[TamilNet, Friday, 08 June 2007, 06:43 GMT]
The Embassy of the United States of America in a press release issued from Colombo Friday condemned the forced removal of Tamils from Colombo. "Such measures violate the Sri Lankan Constitution’s guarantee that every citizen has the right to freedom of movement and choice of residence within Sri Lanka," the U.S. Embassy said.
Full story >>

What is the guarantee of Tamils' security? - Paper

[TamilNet, Friday, 08 June 2007, 06:36 GMT]
Asking “if the international community is refusing to make the slightest effort to restrain the Sri Lanka state today, when vicious violence against Tamils is no longer even disguised, then on what basis are we to expect it to do so in future?” the Tamil Guardian newspaper this week argued: “the Rajapakse administration and the international community are together providing the strongest reason as to why Tamils cannot live safely in a Sinhala-dominated Sri Lanka.”
Full story >>

Expulsions ‘a disgrace to humanity’ - NGOs

[TamilNet, Friday, 08 June 2007, 00:27 GMT]
As several hundred Tamils were forcibly expelled from Colombo Thursday, a group of civil society organizations appealed to President Mahinda Rajapakse “to call an immediate halt to this practice and to offer facilities of return to anyone who has been forcibly removed.” An open letter from several Colombo-based NGOs said: “while we are full cognizant of the current security situation and the need to maintain close surveillance of the city and its environs … we are convinced [this] process is NOT capable of guaranteeing security and rather creates further polarization between the different ethnic communities.”
Full story >>

Slain Red Cross staffers laid to rest in Batticaloa

[TamilNet, Thursday, 07 June 2007, 20:32 GMT]
The remains of the two staffers of the Sri Lanka Red Cross abducted and killed, after having participated in a training programme in Colombo Sunday, were interred Thursday around 9:00 a.m at Ka'l'liyangkaadu burial site on Boundary road in Batticalo, attended by a large crowd of people.
Full story >>

Eight Tamils arrested in Munthal, Udappu

[TamilNet, Thursday, 07 June 2007, 10:30 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) and police in a combined cordon and search operation conducted at Munthal and Udappu, Tamil villages in the Chilaw (Chilaapam) district in northwestern province Thursday morning, arrested eight Tamil civilians, all natives of Trincomalee and Thampalakaamam, sources in Chilaw said.
Full story >>

Two civilians abducted in Ki'n'niyaa

[TamilNet, Thursday, 07 June 2007, 10:27 GMT]
Two civilians were abducted by a group of armed men Thursday early morning around 2.30 a.m. at Faizal Nakar, a Muslim settlement in Ki'n'niyaa division in Trincomalee district, according to complaints received by the Ki'n'niyaa police.
Full story >>

500 Tamils expelled in 8 buses from Colombo

[TamilNet, Thursday, 07 June 2007, 09:44 GMT]
Around 500 Tamils were forcefully expelled from the lodges in Colombo Thursday morning by the Sri Lankan Police, and a further 300 are being detained in Pettah (Peaddai) police station due to lack of transport. Persons lodged in Colombo for medical treatment, travel, family re-union, study and in search of jobs, were packed in 8 buses and sent out of Colombo to the east and Vavuniyaa with Police escort. Three buses were heading to Vavuniyaa and 5 buses were on their way to Batticaloa, according to the latest information from the Police.
Full story >>

MPs protest against expelling of Tamils

[TamilNet, Thursday, 07 June 2007, 06:18 GMT]
The Sri Lankan Parliament was adjourned after Tamil parliamentarians demanded a debate over the forceful expelling of Tamil inmates from the lodges in Colombo and its suburbs Thursday morning. The house, adjourned at 10:00 a.m., started the sessions later in the day.
Full story >>

SL Police expel Tamils from Colombo lodges

[TamilNet, Thursday, 07 June 2007, 04:47 GMT]
Despite the assurances by the Sri Lankan Government Information department last week citing the Head of the state, Mahinda Rajapaksa, that all citizens would be treated equally, Sri Lankan Policemen in Colombo Thursday launched search operations and entered the private lodges to forcefully evacuate the Tamil tenants, initial reports from Colombo said. A large number of policemen have been deployed on duty since 4:00 a.m. on the roads in Wellawatte and Pettah areas. Hundreds of civilians have been packed in busses to be sent away, initial reports said. The Police raid was going on in four police divisions, Wellawatte, Kotahena, Pettah (Peaddai) and Wattala.
Full story >>

Batticaloa SLRC pays respect to slain staffers

[TamilNet, Thursday, 07 June 2007, 02:20 GMT]
"This is a horrendous act. Sri Lanka Government should take steps to halt the killings immediately," Rt. Rev. Joseph Kingsley Swampillai, Bishop of Trincomalee, Batticaloa, said at the event paying respects to the two Sri Lanka Red Cross (SLRC) Society staff members, Sinnarasa Shanmugalingam and Karthigesu Chandramohan, held Wednesday around 1:30 p.m at Batticaloa Red Cross Head Office. The president of Batticaloa SLRC, T. Vasantharajah, presided the event.
Full story >>

Ma'nmunai IDPs to be relocated

[TamilNet, Thursday, 07 June 2007, 01:25 GMT]
People displaced due to clashes in February between Sri Lanka Army (SLA) and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in Vavu'natheevu in Batticaloa district are to be relocated under the Stage 3 rehabilitation scheme, from June 15 to 21, according to a decision made at a meeting held at Ma'nmunai west Regional Secretariat Tuesday, presided by Batticaloa Additional Government Agent, K. Mahesan, sources in Batticaloa said.
Full story >>

Emergency extended for another month in Sri Lanka

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 06 June 2007, 19:40 GMT]
Sri Lanka's parliament Wednesday adopted a motion moved by the government to extend the state of emergency for another month by a majority of 98 votes, parliamentary sources in Colombo said. 114 MPs voted for the motion and 16 against. The State of Emergency was declared on 13th August 2005, a day after Mr.Lakshman Kadirgamar, former foreign minister was assassinated in Colombo. Since then the state of emergency is being extended every month by the parliament.
Full story >>

Mannaar suffers petrol shortage

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 06 June 2007, 19:37 GMT]
The normal life in Mannaar has been disrupted due to shortage of fuel, mainly petrol, civil society sources in Mannaar said. Two fuel filling stations in Mannaar have gone dry due to the stoppage of fuel supply from Ceylon Petroleum Corporation terminal located in Anuradhapura town in the north central province for the last three days, sources said.
Full story >>

8 SLN soldiers injured in road accident at Kanthalaay

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 06 June 2007, 19:35 GMT]
Eight soldiers of the Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) were injured when the jeep they were travelling crashed with a lorry at 84th milepost along Kanthalaay-Habarana road Wednesday morning. One SLN soldier had sustained serious injuries, police sources said.
Full story >>

Vanni teachers continue protest in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 06 June 2007, 19:32 GMT]
The sit-in-protest launched by Vanni Teachers in front of Jaffna Education Office and the Additional Provincial Director's office Tuesday continued Wednesday, blocking routine work at the two offices. Attempts by members of the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) and officials from Northern Provincial Sabai to dissuade the agitators failed to produce any positive results, sources in Jaffna said.
Full story >>

Child, family man reported missing in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 06 June 2007, 19:28 GMT]
An eight year old child from Kantharoadai refugee camp in Chu'n'naakam and a family man from Old Park Road, Chu'ndikkuzhi have been reported missing since Monday and Tuesday respectively, according to complaints filed with Jaffna Human Rights Commission (HRC).
Full story >>

Tigers cremate remains of 14 dead SLA soldiers

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 06 June 2007, 16:45 GMT]
Eleven dead bodies of Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers, declined to be received by the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) on Tuesday from the ICRC, were handed back to the LTTE Wednesday. The bodies were cremated with full military honours by the Tigers at 5:15 p.m. in Kokkaavil where more than 1500 soldiers killed in Mullaiththeevu SLA debacle, back in July 1996, were cremated. Meanwhile, LTTE officials said three more SLA bodies were cremated by them in Mannaar district Wednesday.
Full story >>

2 SLA troopers killed, 2 injured in Vavuniyaa claymore attacks

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 06 June 2007, 11:14 GMT]
Two Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers were killed and two soldiers injured in two separate claymore attacks in Vavuniyaa Wednesday morning, Vavuniya Police said.
Full story >>

28 Tamil civilians arrested in Matale, Moratuwa

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 06 June 2007, 11:02 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) and police arrested 25 Tamil civilians in acordon and search operation conducted in Matale in Kandy district in the central province from late night of Tuesday till dawn of Wednesday. About two hundred soldiers and police personnel were deployed in the operation, sources said. Meanwhile, the police in Moratuwa took three Tamil civilians into custody in the western province Wednesday morning.
Full story >>

AG to settle FR petition filed by Tamil woman journalist

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 06 June 2007, 10:55 GMT]
The fundamental right petition filed by a Tamil woman journalist arrested on suspicion that she was a member of the LTTE suicide squad and later released after one month in detention was mentioned before a three-member bench of the Sri Lanka's Supreme Court Monday. The Bench put off the hearing for July 6 when the State Counsel who represented the Attorney General (AG) submitted that efforts are being made to settle the case outside the court. The Bench comprised Justices Raja Fernando (Chairman), Saleem Marsook and Balapattebendi, legal sources said.
Full story >>

Colombo court discharges Tamil youth

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 06 June 2007, 10:43 GMT]
A youth from Vara'ni in Thenmaraadchi division, arrested by Sri Lanka police on May 06 while staying in a lodge located at Gunasinghapura in Colombo accusing the youth as a belonging to the LTTE, was released by the Colombo Magistrate Mr.Manjula Thilakaretna Tuesday when the police told court that the investigation conducted by the Terrorist Intelligence Unit had revealed that the suspect was not involved in any crime, legal sources in Colombo said.
Full story >>

Sivaram memorial fund to support Ryerson Journalism students

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 06 June 2007, 04:28 GMT]
"Sivaram's quest for Justice through his ever powerful pen for the oppressed and against the powerful perpetrators had made him a hero for not just his own but for the entire humanity. Tamil community is fortunate that such individual was born amidst, who disregarded his own safety while upholding the highest morals of mankind,"said Professor Joseph Chandrakanthan, President of the Canadian Tamil Congress (CTC), speaking at Sivaram's 2nd death anniversary event held at the University of Toronto on June 3rd, 2007.
Full story >>

Claymore attack paralyzes Batticaloa-Colombo train service

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 06 June 2007, 03:52 GMT]
A policeman and two civilians, including a child, were wounded Wednesday morning when a Claymore mine was exploded targeting a train compartment at Miyaangku'lam in Batticaloa district, Police said. The railway track was damaged in the attack, paralyzing the train service.
Full story >>

Trapped Vanni teachers agitate in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 05 June 2007, 20:53 GMT]
More than a hundred male and female teachers from Vanni, currently stranded in Jaffna peninsula when Sri Lanka Army (SLA) closed A9 route in August 2006, staged a sit-in-protest in front of the Jaffna Education Office and the Additional Provincial Director's office located near Muththiraichchanthi in Nalloor Tuesday, demanding temporary places of work within Jaffna peninsula, sources in Jaffna said.
Full story >>

Nayinaatheevu festival to be held despite SLN restrictions

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 05 June 2007, 20:48 GMT]
Sri Lanka Navy (SLA) Jaffna high command refused to relax current restrictions when requested by the Trustee Board of Nayinaatheevu Naakapooshani Amman temple that will soon hold its annual festival, in a meeting held at Veala'nai Regional Secretariat chaired by its Secretary, attended by SLN high officials and members of the Trustee Board Tuesday, sources in Veala'nai said.
Full story >>

SLA declines to receive 10 dead bodies

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 05 June 2007, 17:27 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army officials who accepted 2 of the 12 bodies handed over to the ICRC by the LTTE Tuesday, declined to receive the remaining 10 dead bodies, informed sources in Vavuniyaa said. The Sri Lanka Red Cross Society (SLRCS) vehicle with the bodies is parked in SLA controlled territory in Vavuniyaa. The Sri Lankan defence authorities have been reluctant in receiving all the dead bodies, as the number exceeded the casualty figures earlier claimed by the SLA.
Full story >>

SLAF bombs Ki'linochchi residential areas

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 05 June 2007, 16:47 GMT]
Two Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) kfir jets dropped bombs near Maangku'lam Makaa Viththiyaalayam (Senior school) Tuesday around 9:50 a.m, and later around 1:30 p.m bombed civilian settlements in Thiruvaiyaa'ru and Koavinthan Kadaichchanthi areas, located 3 km from Ki'linochchi town, sources in Ki'linochchi said.
Full story >>

Colombo under new security plan

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 05 June 2007, 16:33 GMT]
The Sri Lanka's defence establishment introduced a new security plan for Colombo city with effect from Monday. Colombo city has been divided into three security zones and additional troops from the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) and Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) have been deployed to check all vehicles and movement of civilians.
Full story >>

Uproar in parliament over murder of Red Cross staff

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 05 June 2007, 16:30 GMT]
Members of the Sri Lanka ruling coalition created an uproar in the parliament Tuesday morning when Mr.Joseph Michael Perera, chief whip of the main opposition United National Party (UNP) raised a question regarding the killing of two workers of the Sri Lanka Red Cross in Colombo by armed men in who arrived in a white van, parliamentary sources in Colombo said.
Full story >>

Court remands 25 Tamils arrested from Colombo lodges

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 05 June 2007, 16:25 GMT]
Twenty-five Tamil civilians taken into custody by the police from several lodges in Fort, Colombo, recently were remanded till June 12 on the orders of the Colombo Additional Magistrate Mr.Manjula Thilakaretna. The police produced them in court Tuesday after interrogation in Colombo police stations, sources said.
Full story >>

Fisheries officials file Fundamental Rights petition

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 05 June 2007, 16:16 GMT]
Sri Lanka's Supreme Court Monday fixed the inquiry for August 18 into the fundamental rights application filed by nine officials, Sinhalese and Tamil, of the Department of Fisheries that their seniority has been overlooked in promotions. The petitioners have further said that not a single Tamil officer has been summoned for the interview for the promotion to the post of Assistant Director of Fisheries although there are several qualified Tamils are working in the department, legal sources said.
Full story >>

Mannaar court releases 3 fishermen

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 05 June 2007, 16:13 GMT]
The Mannaar Additional Magistrate Mr.T.J.Pirapaharan Tuesday released three Tamil fishermen arrested by the police Monday evening at Konthaipiddy area in Mannaar district on surety bail. The police arrested the fishermen during a cordon and search operation conducted around the Konthaipiddy fisheries jetty.
Full story >>

Tamil youth shot dead in Challi

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 05 June 2007, 16:10 GMT]
Unidentified armed men shot dead a Tamil youth at Challi, a fishing hamlet in Chaambaltheevu village located about 11 km north of Trincomalee town along Trincomalee-Nilaave'li road. The Uppuve'li Police recovered the body of the youth Tuesday early morning.
Full story >>

Tigers hand over 12 SLA bodies to ICRC

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 05 June 2007, 12:59 GMT]
Liberation Tigers of Tamileelam (LTTE) Tuesday morning handed over 12 dead bodies of Sri Lanka Army troopers killed in LTTE raid on Vavuniyaa-Mannaar border villages Sunday to the ICRC. Three SLA bodies were scheduled to be handed over in Mannaar, but no one arrived to receive the bodies, LTTE's Liasion Officer told media. The SLA officials have been reluctant in receiving the dead bodies as the military leadership was yet to admit the casualties in the Tiger raid, informed sources in Vavuniyaa said.
Full story >>

Price control to be introduced in Jaffna Peninsula

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 05 June 2007, 10:29 GMT]
K.Ganesh, the Government Agent (GA) of Jaffna, announced Monday that all items, both essential and non essential, should be sold only at control prices determined by the officials of Jaffna Secretariat effective immediately. The decision to institute price control was taken at a conference held at the secretariat Monday morning at 10:00 am to curb the spiraling cost of consumer items in the peninsula, Secretariat officials said.
Full story >>

STF trooper, civilian killed in Claymore attack in Batticaloa

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 05 June 2007, 09:43 GMT]
A Special Task Force trooper and a civilian were killed when attackers detonated a Claymore mine Tuesday around 10:30 a.m. in Kurukka'lmadam in Batticaloa, Police said. A Sub Inspector rank STF commando officer was wounded in the attack.
Full story >>

ICRC pays homage to slain employees

[TamilNet, Monday, 04 June 2007, 21:48 GMT]
The representatives of ICRC and Sri Lanka Red Cross Society (SLRCS) paid homage to the two employees attached to its Batticaloa officers who were abducted in Colombo on Friday evening at the Fort railway station, and later found shot dead at Kiriella, Ratnapura, 95 km southwest of Colombo on Sunday. Representatives from the Head Office of the SLRCS, Colombo, took charge of the bodies of Sinnarajah Shanmuganathan, 38, and Karthigesu Chandramohan, 28, from the Ratnapura General Hospital and kept the bodies at Jeyaratna Florists in Borella from 3:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. for the public viewing.
Full story >>

Red Cross condemns murder of staff

[TamilNet, Monday, 04 June 2007, 19:12 GMT]
In a joint press release issued by the ICRC, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies and the Sri Lanka Red Cross Society Colombo/Geneva Monday, the organizations strongly condemned the abduction and murder of two Sri Lanka Red Cross Society staff members on 1 June. ICRC "calls upon the Sri Lankan authorities to carry out an immediate and comprehensive investigation into the killings," the press release said.
Full story >>

India to develop KKS harbour, coordinate naval patrols

[TamilNet, Monday, 04 June 2007, 18:48 GMT]
The Indian Government is to resume expansion of the Kankesanthurai harbour in the Jaffna peninsula following the Sri Lankan government informing Delhi that the security situation in the area had “improved considerably,” press reports said Monday. Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama told the Indian government that the development of the harbour to its full potential will facilitate the transport of supplies to the Jaffna Peninsula, including directly from India. The move comes as Sri Lanka announced ‘coordinate naval patrolling’ with India’s navy. Mr. Bogollagama also met recently with Britain’s Minister for Armed Forces, Adam Ingram, the reports said.
Full story >>

LTTE urges Tamil representation at EU hearings

[TamilNet, Monday, 04 June 2007, 18:44 GMT]
On the eve of a European Union parliamentary discussion on post-tsunami reconstruction and human rights situation in Sri Lanka, the Liberation Tigers called on the EU to invite Tamil representatives to its future meetings “for any objective understanding of the post-tsunami and human rights situation.” The LTTE also urged the EU to press Sri Lanka to allow international human rights monitors access.
Full story >>

Chinese arms, radar for Sri Lanka military

[TamilNet, Monday, 04 June 2007, 15:59 GMT]
Sri Lanka’s military has inked several significant defence agreements with China, including those for the supply of modern radar and large quantities of ammunition, press reports said. The deals with Beijing come amid public statements from India expressing discontent with Colombo’s military ties to China and Pakistan. An order for Chinese radars is being routed through a company owned by Sri Lanka’s defence secretary, Gotabaya Rajapakse, reports also said. Meanwhile, India could provide training, spares and servicing support for Sri Lanka’s soon to be acquired Mig 29 jets.
Full story >>

Last family evicted from HSZ

[TamilNet, Monday, 04 June 2007, 12:25 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) evicted the last remaining Tamil family living inside the High Security Zone (HSZ) in Valigamam North last week, sources in Jaffna said. The family remained inside the HSZ through the widespread evictions in 1990, and through the 1995 exodus.
Full story >>

SLA bars stone breakers in Madduvil

[TamilNet, Monday, 04 June 2007, 12:13 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers have barred destitute families that engage in stone-breaking to earn a daily wage from areas in Charasaalai, Madduvil areas, civil society sources in Thenmaraadchi said. More than 9000 members belonging to nearly 2000 families are affected by the ban in the Jaffna district.
Full story >>

Puththa'lam villagers attacked by armed men

[TamilNet, Monday, 04 June 2007, 12:01 GMT]
Four Muslim youths were seriously injured when a group of armed persons attacked several families residing in Veappamadu village located at 4th milepost along Puththalam Mannaar road Sunday morning. The Muslim families in Veappamadu were displaced from Jaffna district, sources said.
Full story >>

5 women arrested at Kalutara conference

[TamilNet, Monday, 04 June 2007, 11:56 GMT]
Security personnel on duty at Kalutara district secretariat arrested five women when they were forcibly entering the conference where Mr.Ratnasiri Wickremanayake, Prime Minister was presiding over conference related to the district development activities on Saturday evening, Kalutara police sources said.
Full story >>

Two Tamil women arrested in Puththa'lam

[TamilNet, Monday, 04 June 2007, 11:54 GMT]
Puththa'lam police Sunday evening arrested two Tamil women on receipt of information that they were members of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). They are natives of Jaffna district, sources said.
Full story >>

3 civilians killed in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Monday, 04 June 2007, 09:46 GMT]
Gunmen riding in a motorbike opened fire on three civilians in Jaffna killing them all on the spot Monday noon, initial reports from Jaffna said. The killings have taken place on Nalloor Temple Road where U.N. and NGO offices are located and the road tightly guarded by the Sri Lanka Army.
Full story >>

Postmaster shot dead in Chaavakachcheari

[TamilNet, Monday, 04 June 2007, 09:33 GMT]
Subramaniam Santheepan, 30, a postmaster and a father of two children, was shot dead by armed men who followed him in a motorbike at 6:30 p.m. Sunday at Vangka'laavadi Road, Chaavakachcheari, sources in Thenmaraadchchi said. The victim, from Mirusuvil North, was riding his motorbike with his wife and two children when he was shot.
Full story >>

SLA fires artillery from bases in North

[TamilNet, Sunday, 03 June 2007, 19:39 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) has been firing artillery from the bases in Palaali, Vadamaraadchi and Thenmaraadchi into Liberation Tigers controlled territory from 5:30 p.m. past 10:00 p.m, sources in Jaffna said. Several civilian populated areas shook due to heavy fire at the beginning of the attacks which subsided into sporadic firing towards the middle of the night, civilian sources in Jaffna said.
Full story >>

SLA DPU unit suffers casualties in LTTE counter-ambush

[TamilNet, Sunday, 03 June 2007, 16:50 GMT]
Liberation Tigers counter-ambushed a Deep Penetration Unit inside their territory in Paalamoaddai in Vavuniyaa Mannaar border Sunday evening around 5 p.m. The DPU unit suffered casualties and withdrew leaving behind a dead body, four Claymore mines and a T-56 rifle.
Full story >>

Two Tamil Red Cross workers abducted, killed

[TamilNet, Sunday, 03 June 2007, 12:27 GMT]
Two Tamil workers of Sri Lanka Red Cross from the east, Sinnarajah Shanmuganathan, 38, and Karthigesu Chandramohan, 28, who had come to Colombo for a training program in Tsunami work were abducted by men claiming to be Sri Lanka Police, Friday, and their bodies were found Sunday in Kiriella, Ratnapura, 95 km southeast of Colombo, sources in Colombo said.
Full story >>

Search operation in Fort, Maradana, and Grandpass in Colombo

[TamilNet, Sunday, 03 June 2007, 10:23 GMT]
The Sri Lanka Army (SLA) and police Sunday early morning around 3:00 a.m. launched a combined cordon and search operations covering Grandpass, Fort and Maradana areas in Colombo city, said Western Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) Mr.Rohan Abeyawardene to media persons in Colombo.
Full story >>

Tigers destroy SLA artillery launchpad in Vavuniyaa, 30 SLA troopers killed, 40 wounded

[TamilNet, Sunday, 03 June 2007, 07:10 GMT]
Liberation Tigers launched a commando raid Saturday night into Vavuniyaa-Mannaar border villages where the SLA had recently advanced its Forward Defence Line (FDL), LTTE Military Spokesman Irasiah Ilanthirayan said. The Tigers have destroyed a SLA artillery launchpad, seized military hardware including a Buffel Armoured Personnel Carrier as they established their FDL positions in Mu'l'likku'lam and Vi'laaththikku'lam, he said. 30 SLA soldiers were killed, 15 dead bodies have been recovered by the Tigers till Sunday evening.
Full story >>

Artillery duel in Vavuniyaa, SLA suffers casualties

[TamilNet, Saturday, 02 June 2007, 21:06 GMT]
A key artillery launch pad of the Sri Lanka Army in Vavuniyaa, at Pampaimadu, 13 km southwest of Oamanthai has come under the artillery fire by the Tigers Saturday night, Sri Lanka Army (SLA) sources in Vavuniyaa said. Both the SLA and the LTTE were locked in a heavy artillery duel. SLA has suffered casualties at their artillery base, initial reports said.
Full story >>

40 Mallaavi families receive free timber from TRO

[TamilNet, Saturday, 02 June 2007, 15:47 GMT]
Tamil Rehabilitation Organization (TRO), with funding assistance from the office of the UNHCR, and FORUT, provided free timber and coconut fronds for constructing thatched roofs, to forty economically backward families in Mallaavi area in Vanni, Thursday, TRO officials said.
Full story >>

Four unidentified bodies recovered in South

[TamilNet, Saturday, 02 June 2007, 14:34 GMT]
The police recovered bodies of four unidentified persons in the south of Sri Lanka Saturday. Two bodies were recovered at Wellawaya in Sabragamuwa province, one body at Walakande in Matale division in the central province and the fourth at Madawachchi in north central province, sources said.
Full story >>

60 Tamils arrested in Colombo, 7 in Chilaw

[TamilNet, Saturday, 02 June 2007, 13:17 GMT]
More than sixty Tamils were arrested during a cordon and search operation carried out by Sri Lanka Police between midnight Friday and early morning Saturday in Mt Lavinia, Ratmalana, Wellawatte, Bambalapitiya, Mattakuliya, Kirilapone and Kohuwela, SSP for Colombo Central region, Ajith Fonseka, said Saturday,
Full story >>

SLN strengthens Neduntheevu security

[TamilNet, Saturday, 02 June 2007, 12:52 GMT]
Following the pre-dawn attack by Liberation Tigers on the Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) installations in Neduntheevu on 24 May, SLN has strengthened security in the island by instituting a new Identity Card system and erecting additional mini-camps in the islet, local residents said. SLN has directed all residents between the ages 15 and 60 to obtain new ID Cards from SLN offices in the islet.
Full story >>

Artillery exchange in Mukamaalai

[TamilNet, Saturday, 02 June 2007, 12:22 GMT]
Liberation Tigers (LTTE) and Sri Lanka Army (SLA) fought heavy artillery duels along Thenmaraadchi Forward Defence Lines (FDLs) along Mukamaalai between 4:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. Saturday, sources from Jaffna said. SLA and LTTE have not officially released information on casualties and injuries.
Full story >>

SLA withdraws from Maavadiyoadai after intense fight - LTTE

[TamilNet, Saturday, 02 June 2007, 11:52 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army withdrew its troops deployed for a fresh ground operation towards Kudumpimalai (Thoppigala) Saturday noon from Maavadiyoadai bridge, located on the route linking Badulla Road with Kudumpimalai jungle, as Tigers put up stiff resistance amid two aerial bombardments by the Sri Lankan Air Force, LTTE military spokesman Irasiah Ilanthirayan told media.
Full story >>

Anti-aircraft guns installed in Mannaar police stations

[TamilNet, Saturday, 02 June 2007, 11:51 GMT]
Anti-aircraft guns have been installed in main police stations located in Mannaar, Talaimannaar and Murungkan and major security detachments in the district. Trained operators of anti-aircraft guns have also been posted to these stations and detachments, sources said.
Full story >>

Sivaram memorial lecture in Toronto

[TamilNet, Saturday, 02 June 2007, 04:20 GMT]
Canadian Tamil Congress, a Tamil community organization in Canada, is commemorating the second death anniversary of Dharmaretnam Sivaram, popular journalist and Senior Editor at TamilNet, by holding a memorial event and lecture at McLeod Auditoriam, St George Campus, University of Toronto, at 3:00 p.m. Sunday, organizing officials announced. Mark Whittaker, Professor of Anthropology, University of South Carolina, will be the Guest Speaker at the event.
Full story >>

12 shops robbed in Ka'luvaagnchikkudi

[TamilNet, Saturday, 02 June 2007, 02:54 GMT]
Businesses and banks in Ka'luvaagnchikkudi area shut down Friday protesting against robberies within last three days at twelve business centres in the market area in Ka'luvaagnchikkudi police division in Batticaloa, sources said. The protesters demanded security measures to safeguard their establishments.
Full story >>

TamilNet Transcription: version 1.0 launched

[TamilNet, Friday, 01 June 2007, 21:49 GMT]
The TamilNet Transcription has been improved and modified since its launch for trial on April 28, 2007. It is now simplified further by minimising the interference of punctuation marks in transcription and enhanced by the introduction of context-sensitive algorithm in automation. It is also expanded to accommodate phonological variations in Roman to Tamil automation and in some instances, Tamil to Roman, without touching ambiguities. We invite thorough scrutiny and feedback from readers before releasing the algorithm for public use. We also invite proposals from interested well-wishers to develop conducive software, confining to the specifications of the system.
Full story >>

12 Tamils arrested in Wattala

[TamilNet, Friday, 01 June 2007, 20:30 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) and police, in a combined cordon and search operation in Wattala in western province, arrested twelve Tamil civilians Friday, sources in Colombo said. Majority of the arrested are natives of Northeast, and they are being detained in Wattala police station and being questioned by the Terrorist Intelligence Unit officer.
Full story >>

JVP warns government against further fuel price increase

[TamilNet, Friday, 01 June 2007, 20:27 GMT]
The Sinhala nationalist Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) Friday warned the government led by Sri Lanka's President Mahinda Rajapakse that people would be forced to stage a massive agitation if the fuel price is increased again. JVP politburo in a statement appealed to the government to take immediate steps to bring down the cost of living by reducing prices of essential goods and fuel.
Full story >>

Colombo court releases Tamil civilian

[TamilNet, Friday, 01 June 2007, 18:47 GMT]
A Tamil civilian from Vavuniya who was arrested in Colombo on 24 th May was released Thursday by the Fort Magistrate following a report by Sri Lanka Terrorist Intelligence Unit that there was no evidence to implicate him with terrorist activity, legal sources in Colombo said.
Full story >>

3 STF troopers killed in accidental blast in Akkaraippattu

[TamilNet, Friday, 01 June 2007, 18:46 GMT]
An accidental bomb explosion killed three Special Task Force (STF) troopers in Thampaddai area in Akkaraipattu in Ampaa'rai district Friday around 11:00 a.m, sources in Akkaraippattu said.
Full story >>

SLA trooper, home guard killed in Kebitigollawa

[TamilNet, Friday, 01 June 2007, 12:34 GMT]
Unidentified attackers shot and killed a Sri Lanka Army soldier and a homeguard who were riding in a motorbike at Thiruvegama in Kebitigollawa, Friday morning around 8:45, Police said.
Full story >>

Fighting imminent along Northern FDLs

[TamilNet, Friday, 01 June 2007, 11:00 GMT]
Reports from Jaffna say that fighting can breakout at any time between the Sri Lanka Forces and Liberation Tigers at the Vadamaradchchi East and Thenmaradchchi Forward Defence Lines (FDLs). Sri Lanka Army (SLA) at the northern FDLs has completed preparations for a major battle, and is awaiting for command from Colombo to begin offensives, reports said.
Full story >>

6 killed, threewheelers carrying paramilitary personnel ambushed in Ampaa'rai

[TamilNet, Friday, 01 June 2007, 10:06 GMT]
Six persons were killed Thursday night when two threewheelers transporting paramilitary Karuna Group personnel from Ampaa'rai to Poththuvil were ambushed by a group of attackers at Inspector Eattam in Poththuvil Police division. The attack in the wake of internal strife within the paramilitary Karuna Group, comes after 8 paramilitary personnel of the breakaway Pillayaan Group, were reported missing in Polonnaruwa at the hands of Karuna paramilitary.
Full story >>

Parliamentary privilege cannot dictate editorial content, FMM tells UNP

[TamilNet, Friday, 01 June 2007, 10:05 GMT]
Free Media Movement (FMM), a Colombo-based media rights watchdog, expressed dismay at the statement made by the UNP leader that, Media not reporting speech by Minister Fernandopulle on President Kumaratunge's Security arrangements constituted a breach of parliamentary previlege and that the editors should be summoned and called to account, in a press release issued Thursday.
Full story >>

2 youths reported missing in Kaaththaankudi

[TamilNet, Friday, 01 June 2007, 00:43 GMT]
Unidentified gunmen abducted two youths Tuesday at Karupola village in Aaraiyampathi east in Kaaththaankudi police division in Batticaloa district, according to complaints made at Kaaththaankudi police station, sources in Batticaloa said.
Full story >>

Journalist remembered in Ki'linochchi

[TamilNet, Friday, 01 June 2007, 00:01 GMT]
The third year anniversary of the prominent Tamil journalist Aiyathurai Nadesan alias G. Nadesan was held in Ki'linochchi around 3:00 p.m. Thursday. The event held at the Media Centre, Ki'linochchi, was organized by the Tamil Eelam Media Wing. Thaya Master, the Head of the Tamil Eelam Media Wing, lit the flame of remembrance.
Full story >>